Director General for American and European Affairs underlined the importance of the principle of “Right to Development”

Workshop “Promoting Sustainable Palm Oil in Indonesia”
Press Release : Indonesian-Embassy.de

The Director General for American and European Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Ambassdor Retno L.P. Marsudi, underlined that the Government of the Republic of Indonesia respects the international efforts to use environmental approach as the mainstream of economic policies of the governments of the countries in the world.

However, at the same time, all countries must respect the internationally accepted principle of “right to development” for all people. This was stated by the Director General for American and European Affairs during the workshop “Promoting Sustainable Palm Oil in Indonesia” on 11 December 2008.

The workshop organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Berlin in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia was attended by about 60 representatives of German public and private sectors, as well as of human resources, business and the media sectors.

The Director General for American and European Affairs further stated that Indonesia has demonstrated its firm commitment to uphold the environment matters, highlighted by successfully hosting the COP 13 UNFCCC in Bali in 2007 and by the serious endeavours by the Government of Indonesia to safeguard negotiations which resulted in the Bali Roadmap.

As a member of the troika together with Poland and Denmark, Indonesia also exerts its efforts in conducting successful negotiations towards COP 15 in Denmark. Therefore, it is emphasized once again that environmental policies at the national level, including the development of the palm oil industry, is conducted in line with this commitment.

The speakers representing the business circle and the palm oil industry also participated in the workshop. Among them were Bryan Dyer, Managing Director Operations PT London Sumatera Indonesia Tbk, Maruli Gultom, Chairman of the Board PT Perkebunan Nusantara V, Adrian Suharto, Corporate Communication Manager PT Asian Agri, Paulus Tjakrawan, Secretary General Association of Biodiesel Indonesia, Dr. Kalanithi Nesaretnam, and Dr. Rosediana Suharto, Board of Palm Oil Association Indonesia.

In his keynote speech, the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, delivered by the Director General for Product Processing and Marketing, Prof.Dr. Zaenal Bachruddin, stressed the importance of the contribution of palm oil to the economy of Indonesia by creating job opportunities, export and multiplier effect.

The Government of Indonesia continues to develop sustainable palm oil production through a number of regulatory measures in forestry, plantation management and environment sectors. In this context, the Government of Indonesia is concerned by some clauses in the new EU Directives in the bio fuel sector which affects the palm oil industry, including the decision on the enumeration of land use change against palm oil plantation and industry.

Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Berlin, Wajid Fauzi, stated that the workshop serves as a forum to disseminate more balanced information to a number of concerned German parties with regard to the situation of palm oil in Indonesia. He expressed the hope that the workshop can contribute to rectify wrong perceptions caused by negative campaigns blemishing Indonesia in the eyes of the international community.

With the view to revising those wrong perceptions, some speakers invited concerned parties of Germany to visit palm oil plantations and processing facilities in Indonesia to obtain objective information on the spot.

Source : Indonesian-Embassy.de