Indonesia, UAE to Build Mangrove Research Center in Belitung

TheIndonesia.co - The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenko Marves) has designated Belitung in the Province of the Bangka Belitung Islands (Babel) as a pilot area for the development of Integrated Area Development (IAD) to accelerate economic growth and community welfare. Indonesia in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates will also build a mangrove research center.

"Currently Belitung is one of the pilot projects for the development of IAD," said the Deputy for Coordination of Environmental and Forestry Management at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs, Nani Hendiarti, during a Coordination Meeting on environmental issues in Babel in Belitung, Tuesday, August 2, 2022.

For the development of this IAD, Belitung requires cross-ministerial/ institutional cooperation in synergizing to improve the welfare of the community by carrying out control efforts in protecting the environment. One that is being pushed, following the direction of the President's policy on mangroves, a rehabilitation target of 600,000 thousand hectares.

"Thank God, we can gather in a beautiful place, Belitung Island, which was agreed in the previous coordination meeting to be a pilot project for the development of IAD, the master plan is in Belitung," she said.

According to her, the wealth and natural beauty in the Bangka Belitung Islands has been known to foreign countries, for example, the geopark that has been recognized by UNESCO, and the Tanjung Kelayang SEZ which specifically builds tourism. So the benefit of nature is aimed at the welfare of the community and protecting the environment, which is something that will be discussed in the meeting.

"About the mangrove program, we bring good news, Belitung is a strong candidate for cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a Mangrove Research Centre," she said. "So later Belitung will not only be crowded by tourists but researchers and engineers."

This coordination meeting was also attended by the Acting Governor of the Bangka Belitung Islands, Ridwan Djamaluddin.