VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia and the European Union (EU) have chosen sustainable development as the focus of their cooperation, marked by the launch of Blue Book 2019. 

Indonesia and the EU have long cooperated in fulfilling the global commitment in the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through the Blue Book 2019, entitled, "Together for Sustainable Development", the EU supports the centralization of SGDs in its partnership with Indonesia.

"SDGs are the main objective, used as a reference for the EU and Indonesia. It is not surprising if SDGs become the focus of EU-Indonesia cooperation," Charge d'Affaires of the EU Delegation to Indonesia Charles-Michel Geurts said during the launch of the Blue Book 2019 in Jakarta on Tuesday.

According to Geurts, Indonesia has demonstrated significant progress in mainstreaming SGDs in its development plan.

Hence, the EU is committed to supporting Indonesia's efforts through well-guided cooperation programs for the three main development sectors, including environment, education and health, he said.

Through development fund assistance worth 100 million euros, the EU and Indonesia have worked on a number of programs, some of which have been completed, while others are on-going.

Head of the Indonesian National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Bambang Brodjonegoro said the agreement between Indonesia and the EU to put in place development cooperation focusing on SDGs has been consistent with its global goals.

"When it comes to SDGs, Indonesia has taken additional steps. In fact, we are one of the first countries to deliver a report to the UN in 2017, and we will send a second report in July 2019," he said. (ant)