On 18-19 March, many forestry stakeholders gathered in Bali to have dialogue and share information related to particularly international cooperation in forestry law enforcement, governance, and trade, including the FLEGT VPA negosiation with the Eropean Union (EU).

The meeting was opened by Director General of Forest Production (BPK), Ministry of Forestry Dr. Hadi Daryanto with around 70 attending participants.

Director General of Forest Production stated in his remark that this programme is a part of a larger programme aiming at combating illegal logging and improving forestry governance. This programme is supported by EU through FLEGT Action Plan. Indonesia and UE have been collaborating in various cooperation efforts to eradicate illegal logging by way of enforcing law, improving forestry governance and trade through a number of activities. One of such activities is the negotiation of Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA).

This negotiation aims at reducing illegal logging from producers to consumers. To date, the negotiation has agreed on several issues such as non-discrimination, reciprocal principles, and respect of each other’s national soverignty.

In general, the main objective of the meeting that took place at Hard Rock Kuta Hotel is to develop better understanding and to improve communication between central and local governments on varied forestry issues. For two days, the meeting became successful means of information sharing (socialisation) despite limited time and abundant information. Participants enthusiacally gave their inputs to many central government’s initiatives being discussed.

One of the inputs is the need for central government’s programme to adjust to local conditions. There are significant gaps of resources (human and finance) and infrastructure that may obstruct the completion of central government’s programme implementation locally.

In addition, realizing forestry governance programme and improving forestry economy more effectively requires further action plan such as visit to regional offices and local government, epecially in eastern Indonesia. Enhanced cooperation between central and local goverments is also in demand.

Dialogues among government forestry bodies (at central and local level) non-forestry with government institutions such as Attorney Office, Police, Trade Ministry, Home Affairs Ministry and others should also be continued.