Jakarta, Indonesia – The United States and Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) establishing partnership to reduce emissions in accordance with Indonesia’s Forestry and Land Use Net Sink 2030 Operational Plan and USAID’s 2022-2030 Climate Strategy.
According to a press release published by the US Embassy here on Friday, the MoU was signed by Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) Secretary General Bambang Hendroyono and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Jeff Cohen.
Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya and US Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Y. Kim were present at the signing event.
The MoU commits both countries to collaborating on the Government of Indonesia’s long-term goal for climate-resilient and low-carbon development.
“Through this MoU, we are pleased to deepen our partnership with the Government of Indonesia to address the challenges of climate change by supporting the MoEF’s leadership on sustainable land use and protecting valuable forests across the country, which are so vital for Indonesia’s prosperous, resilient, green future,” said USAID Mission Director Jeff Cohen.
Among the activities envisaged by the MoU, the Ministry and USAID intend to collaborate to support sustainable forest management, including tree planting and land rehabilitation; manage and restore peatlands and mangroves to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and support Indonesia’s efforts to conserve wildlife biodiversity, particularly iconic species such as orangutans.
USAID will work closely with the Indonesian government at all levels, as well as local, national, and international stakeholders, to support the MoEF’s aims.
Indonesia and the United States want to exchange information and knowledge, create and implement cooperative projects, and engage on activities and research.
To extend their relationship, the Indonesian government and USAID are keen to specify their proposed programs and activities in a new grant implementation agreement, subject to funds availability.