INDONESIA, FRANCE FORGE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO PROTECT OCEANS by Fardah

Jakarta, March 31, 2017 (Antara) - Indonesia and France, as the world's two largest exclusive economic zone countries, share a common belief that a strategic partnership is crucial to protecting the seas and ensuring sustainability of the oceans.

         To this end, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his French counterpart Francois Hollande, at a bilateral meeting in Jakarta on March 29, 2017, had agreed to strengthen strategic partnerships between the two countries, mainly for developing the maritime and creative economy sectors.

         Jokowi noted that for cooperation in the maritime sector, Indonesia has called for cooperation in fighting against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, including categorizing IUU fishing as a transnational organized crime.

         Illegal fishing activities have risked the sustainability of oceans and harmed the fishery resources of Indonesia.

        The government has claimed that illegal fishing activities in the country's waters have caused annual losses worth hundreds of trillions of rupiah to the state.

         Hence, over the past years, Indonesia has actively cracked down on illegal fishing activities in the country's maritime territory.

        President Hollande expressed keen interest, particularly to forge maritime cooperation with Indonesia, as part of the efforts to protect the oceans and the world from the impact of global climate change.

        "It is our responsibility to protect the oceans and the world," Hollande stated during a maritime dialog held at the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry on Mar 29.

        If the seas are not protected, it will have wide-ranging impacts, including a rise in the sea water levels, the threat of illegal fishing, and sea pollution, he stated.

        He lauded the stringent measures taken by the Indonesian government to thwart illegal fishing in Indonesia's waters to protect its marine territory and natural resources.   
   "There must be a drive to do it, and of course, there must also be facilities and technologies. Indonesia is currently taking steps to protect its marine territory," he noted.

        The sea is also an area of investment. Thus, it is important to strengthen cooperation and make optimal use of the marine potentials, he remarked.

        The French president was delighted to hear that several French companies will begin investing in various projects in the maritime and fisheries sector.

        The dialog on the maritime sector was also attended by officials from Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Transportation Ministry, and Foreign Affairs Ministry.

        Accompanied by some 40 French investors, Hollande also attended a presentation session on the Infrastructure Development Of Space Oceanography program while visiting the ministry.  
   Indonesian and French governments have held a discussion on the space oceanography development program, with an estimated cost of around US$2.9 million per year.

        Several memoranda of understanding were signed during Hollande's visit, including those on cooperation in science, technology, and innovation to renew the previous agreement signed in 1979.

        Under the agreement, the two nations could initiate cooperation in food security and agriculture, energy, health, transportation, advanced materials, information technology, maritime, biodiversity protection, natural disaster management, aviation, and social sciences.

        Last month, at the World Ocean Conference, Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti had urged the members of the United Nations and European Union to reaffirm their commitments toward sustainable fisheries.

        The Indonesian government has committed to adopting the blue economy program, which strongly takes environmental protection into account, she emphasized.

        Hence, the economic activities, which tend to increase productivity, could align with environment preservation, the minister stated.

        In the meantime, in September 2016, representatives of 11 French companies in the marine innovation cluster attended a seminar titled "Development of Infrastructure Technology for Ports and Maritime Security" held in Surabaya, East Java.

        "This was the first formal forum for bilateral maritime cooperation between Indonesia and France, even though maritime-related cooperation with France has been ongoing since long," Deputy I Maritime Sovereignty, Coordinator Ministry for Maritime Affairs, Arif Havas Oegroseno stated.

        Indonesia has invited French investment in the field of maritime security. The European nation has built hydrographic survey ships for the Indonesian Navy.

        "The Indonesian Navy's hydrographic survey ships -- KRI Rigel and KRI Spica -- were the most advanced naval research vessels in Asia and were made in France," he recalled.

        The bilateral maritime cooperation forum involving France was an initiative undertaken by both countries in view of the need for structured cooperation in certain priority sectors.  
   Indonesia believes that such form of cooperation will help in numerous ways, including for technology transfer.

        Meanwhile, French Ambassador to Indonesia Corrine Breuze remarked that the country has the ability to realize President Jokowi's dream of transforming Indonesia into a global maritime axis.

        Breuze also explained that France had established a special body to cater to the interests of companies working in the maritime sector.

        "We have the ability in the maritime sector that can support Indonesia's aspirations," she said.

        Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic nation, with more than 17 thousand islands stretching over five thousand kilometers across the equatorial ocean.

    ***1***
(f001/INE)
EDITED BY INE/a014

(T.F001/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 31-03-2017