VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) held the 2nd Senior Official Meeting (SOM) of the Archipelagic States and Island Countries on September 6 to 8, 2018 in Jakarta. The meeting discussed plastic waste, blue economy development, adaptation to climate change, good governance, disaster management, sustainable fisheries and economic growth. Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan stressed the need for archipelagic and island nations to unite to take concrete steps to overcome environmental problems.

“Indeed, we need mutual acts to form togetherness in overcoming environmental problems. Especially for example, if we look at the current marine waste problem, the plastic problem is our direction. And we want in this forum for us to find a step together to overcome this problem,” Luhut Pandjaitan said.

Meanwhile UNDP's Country Director for Indonesia, Christophe Bahuet said this initiative facilitated the exchange of experiences of archipelagic and island nations with new technologies and found new funding to overcome existing threats and challenges. According to him, this is a commitment of Indonesia, UNDP and other parties to achieve the goal of sustainable development number 14 related to life in the sea. This meeting invited 46 archipelagic countries and island countries in Asia and Africa. Countries invited include Singapore, Palau, Mauritius, Saint Kitts and Navis and New Zealand. (VOI/RIFA’I/DP)