JAKARTA - The Governments of Indonesia and France have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the marine and fisheries sector as an effort to maintain the sustainability of marine ecosystems and increase development, especially in coastal areas. This was marked by the signing of three cooperation documents through the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the two countries.
The three cooperation agreements include a Letter of Intent (LOI)/Statement of Intent on the Establishment of a Bilateral Maritime Dialogue, a Joint Statement/Joint Statement on the Development of Marine and Fisheries Cooperation Programs, and an LOI on the Development of Environmentally Friendly Ports in Indonesia which will focus on the phase of The initial stages took place in Belawan, Bitung, Kendari and Cilacap.
"Indonesia and France are friendly countries that have historical closeness. The cooperation in the marine and fisheries sector this time is also to strengthen the implementation of maritime cooperation that was declared in 2017," said Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono in a statement in Jakarta, Tuesday (8/6).
Minister Trenggono explained that Indonesia and France are also strategic trade partners. In 2020 Indonesia's exports to France reached 7,680 tons with a value of USD31.87 million. Minister Trenggono hopes that the French Minister of Maritime Affairs Annick Girardin can help increase the volume of exports of Indonesian fishery products and help voice the application of early harvest of more than 500 Indonesian fishery products to the European Union. (LM)