RI to assess Arafura, Timor seas

RI to assess Arafura, Timor seas

JAKARTA: Indonesia will work in partnership with East Timor,
Australia, and Papua New Guinea to assess the ecosystems of the
Arufura and Timor seas to help manage them better.

The partnership was kicked-off at a two-day workshop beginning
on Monday. The workshop was attended by officials and experts
from the governments, international institutions and non-
governmental organizations to obtain agreements on the overall
process of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) proposed by
the Global Environment Facility.

With the assessment, participating countries expected a better
understanding of the critical role the ecosystems played in
sustaining livelihoods and reducing poverty.

"One of the purposes of the assessment program is to meet the
needs of the users to anticipate the economic, social and public
health consequences of ecosystem change," MEA spokesman Marcus
Lee said.

The assessment, to focus on eastern Indonesia, will be
coordinated by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the
office of the State Minister for the Environment and the Ministry
of Forestry. --JP