Illustrative image (Source: en.tempo.co) Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia and the US have agreed to cooperate in a 40 million USD programme on the conservation of the former’s marine habitat and sustainable fishery resources.
The programme, which is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to improve the management of 6 million hectares of marine habitat and deal with emerging issues facing the Indonesian fishery sector.
It also sets targets of building of 15 marine protected areas, increasing the fishery sector’s productivity, ensuring food security and nutrition and improving the sustainable livelihood for people in the provinces of Maluku, Northern Maluku and Western Papua.
The programme also assists Indonesia in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
US Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph Donovan said the US and Indonesia have a strong partnership in the maritime sector and the bilateral cooperation is expected to promote sustainable use of maritime resources while ensuring food and livelihood of Indonesian people.
Nilanto Perbowo, an official of the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said the USAID projects on marine conservation and sustainable fishery are closely related to the Indonesian Government’s national development goals.-VNA
