VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - The Indonesian government has committed US$5 million in funding for the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum, as a form of real contribution to sustainable development.

"The funding commitment is planned for 2022 to 2025," said Jodi Mahardi, Deputy for Maritime Sovereignty and Energy Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Monday.

So far, such a funding commitment has only come from Indonesia and is expected to be followed by other countries or other international organizations, he added.

Mahardi expressed hope that the increased funding commitment for the AIS Forum will have an even more positive impact, especially during Indonesia's leadership of the region and in island and archipelagic countries.

"We hope this will be a breakthrough for blue economy diplomacy at the global level," he said.

He noted that given Indonesia's abundant natural resources, there is great potential to improve the blue economy to support sustainability.

The AIS Forum was formed based on the Manado Declaration on November 1, 2018, at the AIS Forum Ministerial-Level Meeting.

Since then, Indonesia has contributed to the forum in several ways, including in the establishment of the AIS Secretariat and in program development.

Indonesia contributed US$1 million to establish the secretariat, implement cooperation, and strengthen collaboration between countries in 2019.

"We had created a knowledge-sharing platform along with workshops," Mahardi stated.

He added that the activity also involved youth, innovators, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in efforts to support the development of the blue economy.

The AIS Forum 2023 High-Level Meeting is scheduled to be held on October 11, 2023 in Nusa Dua.

The meeting is aimed at strengthening the AIS Forum's role as a center for smart and innovative solutions and as a forum for mutual cooperation in pushing forward the future agenda, namely global ocean governance. (Antaranews)