FAO in Indonesia

FAOR remarks on the signing of Enabling Transboundary Cooperation for Sustainable Management of The Indonesian Seas

FAOR Indonesia and Timor-Leste, Mark Smulders and Secretary General of The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Sjarief Widjaja at the signing of project document
30/12/2016

 

 

 

 

 

Distinguished Bapak Sjarief Widjaja – Secretary General of The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries

Distinguished Bapak M. Zulfichar Mochtar -  Director General of the Agency for Marine and Fisheries Research and Development who is also the acting Director General of Capture Fisheries

 Distinguished Bapak Toni Ruchimat, Director of Fisheries Resources – DG of Capture Fisheries

Distinguished Bapak Hari Eko Irianto, Director of the Center for Research and Fisheries Development - Agency for Marine and Fisheries Research and Development

Ibu Lilly Aprilya Pregiwati, Director of the Center for International Cooperation and Public Relation
FAO Indonesia colleagues

Distinguished ladies and gentleman

On behalf of FAO, I wish you all a sincere and warm welcome to this special event – the signing ceremony of GEF funded project entitled “ Enabling Transboundary Cooperation for Sustainable Management of The Indonesian Seas”.

FAO gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the Global Environment Facility, or GEF, for supporting this project. GEF is an important partner in FAO’s efforts toward food security. In fact, GEF has now become the largest single donor to FAO’s extra-budgetary source of funding.

FAO also wishes to acknowledge the roles of the former Director of International Cooperation Center (PUSKITA), Mr. Anang Noegroho and Dr. Toni Ruchimat, who initiated discussions with FAO for developing the project document from the very beginning.

The project is part of the strategic FAO iniatiatives in supporting the Indonesian  and East Timorese Government Programme toward sustainable management of marine and fisheries resources. This is expected to increase the provision of ecosystem goods and services and enhance food security and livelihoods for local people dependent on marine and fisheries in both Indonesia and Timor Leste.

The ISLME project will bring together two countries, Indonesia and Timor Leste,  and  several partner institutions and work cross-sectorally to address complicated issues related to marine and fisheries resources management including the development and implementation of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) and Ecosystem Approach to Aquaculture (EAA). Pilot scale application of the ecosystem approaches will address a wide range of inter-connected goals including significant transboundary fishing in the ISLME areas. This effort is inline with The Ministry of Marine Affairs priority programme toward Legally Reported and Regulated Fishing.

Through improved knowledge and capacity on how to manage the ecosystem wisely and in the environmentally friendly manner, the project will improve fisheries resource management and food security. Through cross-sectoral action and communication, the project will help ensure proper policies on fishing, transboundary issues and water management so that Indonesians can enjoy fish and both Indonesian and the world can enjoy the globally significant biodiversity now and for future generations.

Thank you all who have contributed to this event today and in supporting our joint program implementation in the very near future.