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30 July 2025
World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2025, Secretary-General's Message, António Guterres
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22 July 2025
“A Moment of Opportunity: Supercharging the Clean Energy Age", Secretary-General's Remarks, António Guterres
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21 July 2025
ICSN Webinar Series: Introduction to SDGs and Its Implementation in Indonesia - Resident Coordinator's Speech, Gita Sabharwal
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Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in Indonesia
The United Nations is committed to working with the Government of Indonesia to building a nation that is prosperous, democratic, and just, where development benefits all people, and where the rights of future generations are protected. True to the promise of the SDGs to “leave no one behind”, the UN’s approach combines a strong focus on the poorest of the poor, combatting discrimination and rising inequalities and addressing their root causes. “Leaving no one behind” means prioritizing people’s dignity and placing the progress of the most marginalized and vulnerable communities first. This central and transformative promise has become more important than ever to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and work towards a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive recovery.
Publication
25 March 2025
United Nations in Indonesia Country Results Report 2024
The partnership between the Government of Indonesia and the United Nations continues to drive progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our 2024 report highlights our collective achievements in fostering inclusive human development, advancing economic and green transformation, and mobilizing innovative financing solutions. From expanding access to life-saving vaccines for millions of children to supporting thousands of MSMEs in building sustainable businesses, our collaboration is delivering impact across 123 districts in the country. By integrating clean technologies, strengthening marine protection, and supporting women-led renewable energy initiatives, we support the acceleration of Indonesia’s transition toward a greener and more resilient future. Through strategic partnerships, the UN has supported the mobilization of additional $1.6 billion through green sukuk and SDG-linked bonds and over $13 million through Zakat funds for critical social services. For this year's report, we adopt tenun ikat from East Nusa Tenggara —a symbol of cultural heritage and shared values, which underpins our mission to build a more sustainable and inclusive Indonesia.
For a comprehensive look at the UN's initiatives and Indonesia's progress towards the SDGs, please download the full report below.
For a comprehensive look at the UN's initiatives and Indonesia's progress towards the SDGs, please download the full report below.
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Publication
07 October 2024
United Nations in Indonesia Country Results Report 2023
As the 2030 deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) draws near, intensified collaboration between the Government of Indonesia and the United Nations is key in accelerating progress towards the SDGs. This report highlights the collective efforts of the government and the UN not only to meet the SDG targets but also to explore innovative solutions in financing, data collection, and the integration of advanced technologies for monitoring progress.This report encapsulates the dynamic partnership between Indonesia and the UN, emphasizing key achievements under the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). From advancing inclusive human development to promoting green initiatives and innovation, our joint work aligns closely with Indonesia’s national development priorities. For a comprehensive look at the UN's initiatives and Indonesia's progress towards the SDGs, please download the full report available below.
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Publication
07 June 2023
Better Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for All in Indonesia (BERANI) Programme Fact Sheet
The Government of Indonesia, UNFPA, and UNICEF have been working together through the Better Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for All in Indonesia (BERANI) Programme from 2018 to 2023. This joint effort aims to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and young people across the country.
Under the BERANI Programme, several key areas have been focused on, including enhancing midwifery education and regulation, strengthening partnerships to improve family planning, providing youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services and information, strengthening the health sector's response to gender-based violence, and community outreach and empowerment.
Throughout the programme, significant achievements have been made. Over 20 policies, advocacy strategies, and roadmaps were developed to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights. Midwifery education centers have implemented high-quality standards, leading to increased pass rates in national competency exams. Private clinics have been strengthened to provide quality youth-friendly services, and community health centers have been capacitated to respond effectively to gender-based violence.
Additionally, a considerable number of young people have benefited from the programme. Thousands of adolescents have received comprehensive sexuality education and information on menstrual hygiene management. Digital content creators have been trained to develop sexual and reproductive health-related content, reaching a combined audience of over 600,000 young people.
The BERANI Programme highlights the commitment to leaving no one behind, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their background, have access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services and information. The BERANI fact sheet is downloadable through the button below this article.
#BERANI #ReproductiveHealth #GenderEquality
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Story
05 June 2023
Baristas behind bars: From serving time to serving lattes
Perfectly foamed milk. A delicate butterfly enswirled atop. A bittersweet tang on the palate. A perfect cappuccino? It is beyond that. This particular cup was masterfully frothed and served by Denny, an inmate in Tangerang, west of Jakarta, who joined a UN-supported training programme to help prisoners to re-integrate into society after serving time.
“I want to make the most of my time, even in prison, and this training should help me find a job later,” said Denny, 31, who has just over two years left of a five-year prison sentence. “Of course, I knew how to make a coffee before, but here I am learning about different flavours, smells and aromas, and about the artistic side of coffee making.”
Denny is one of 200 inmates in the Tangerang Class IIA Correctional Facility and among more than 35,000 inmates across Indonesia who are involved in vocational training, from eco-printing on textiles to farming. While learning how to be a barista behind bars, he said he hopes to get a job in a café following his release.
Salis Farida Fitriani, who heads the correctional facility, said the programme aims at building a better future, but skills training alone is not enough for inmates to succeed in the outside world.
To deal with a society that often stigmatizes them for life, she said, the prison offers training in personality development, counselling, and religious teaching.
“Our goal is to provide positive activities and training for the inmates,” she said. “The programme includes personality development as well as vocational training to help with their future livelihoods.”
Breaking the ‘ex-con’ stigma
Starting a business is hard after serving time in prison, said Haswin, a 32-year-old former drug offender. Leaving the Tangerang correctional facility in January 2022, he now operates his own coffee shop, mixing modern and traditional coffee styles alongside mocktails and snacks.
“Life is so much better now,” said Haswin, adding that his former bartending job was a prime factor in his involvement with drug-related offences that led to his arrest in 2018.
“I am more content with life and proud of my creativity,” he explained. “I had never thought I could find a career outside nightlife.”
Now, his work is not just a “means to make ends meet”, but a new opportunity.
“I want to break the stigma around ‘ex-cons’ by showing that former offenders can also be independent and creative,” he said.
From sports to university programmes
Tangerang Class IIA gives prisoners a chance to do that. They can also compete in professional sports at Tangerang, a prison unique in Indonesia for offering a full university education programme. Open to prisoners across Indonesia, a pilot programme currently serving 200 inmates is poised to roll out countrywide, subject to funding, Ms. Fitriani said.
Asep, a third-year Islamic studies student with Syekh Yusuf Islamic University, said he, like many in the programme, could not afford to go to university in his life before prison.
“I was always keen to learn, but my economic situation did not make it possible for me to study,” he said.
Following the same curriculum the university offers to its regular students, Asep and his schoolmates attend classes thrice weekly for six hours each day. After graduation and before the end of his prison sentence, Asep said he hopes to help his fellow prisoners by offering religious counselling.
“I get to learn a lot about the world and about life outside,” he said. “It helps me cope better with my long sentence. It will help the others, too.”
Tailored to inmates’ needs
Supported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), the training programmes are designed with help from a set of assessment tools that provide evidence-based approaches tailored to inmates’ individual needs.
Corrections officers use these tools to evaluate and better understand inmates, including the level of security risk they may pose, their compatibility with the programme, and their likely response to education.
Within UNODC’s prisoner rehabilitation initiative, which focuses on education, vocational training, and employment during incarceration, the goal is to contribute to the prisoners’ employability after release, thus reducing chances of recidivism.
With this in mind, the agency partnered with Indonesia’s Directorate-General of Corrections to create an assessment matrix that helps corrections officers to build psychological and security profiles of prisoners and enables staff to keep track of their progress, said Rabby Pramudatama, a programme manager at UNODC’s Jakarta office.
“We need to make sure, for instance, that we get inmates who are unlikely to disturb the classes and will cooperate with teachers and their fellow students,” he said.
Second chances
UNODC also collaborates and supports such non-governmental organizations as Second Chance, which help inmates to reintegrate into society once they are out of the facility.
On a quiet morning, some inmates were reviewing verses from the Quran, while others gathered around to watch a pair of sparring kickboxers. As rain set in, they spoke of the sunshine that was bound to break through, sooner or later.
For Denny, he said the sunshine will come on the day when he, too, can get out and find a job.
“My main drive right now is to be a better person than I was before,” he said, adding that until that day, he will focus on religious activities and brewing perfect cappuccinos in barista classes.
Learn more about how UNODC is helping to reform prisons across the world here.
This article was initially published by UN News in this link: https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/06/1137212
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07 July 2025
Top UN Expert Highlights Urgent Need to Rethink Water Governance Amid Global Water “Bankruptcy”
The world is not just facing a water crisis — it may already be bankrupt. That was the stark message delivered by Kaveh Madani, Director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), during a lecture at IPB (Institut Pertanian Bogor) University as part of his official visit to Indonesia. Mr. Madani’s visit marked the launch of a collaboration between UNU-INWEH and Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI), Indonesia’s public broadcaster. Under this partnership, RRI will serve as the Asia Pacific secretariat of the Global Media Academy, a platform developed by UNU-INWEH to bring water, environment, and health issues to the forefront of global media narratives. UNU-INWEH, headquartered in Canada, focuses on evidence-based policy research, capacity development, and advancing solutions to global water and sanitation challenges, particularly in support of developing countries.In a lecture delivered to students and faculty members in Bogor, Mr. Madani urged the public to rethink how they speak about water-related challenges. He explained that over the past decades, human activity has steadily drained both surface water and groundwater reserves, often faster than nature can replenish them: “Surface water is like a checking account meant for regular use, while groundwater functions as a savings account, one that should only be tapped above its replenishment level in emergencies,” he said. “Yet today, many countries are living off this savings account without a plan to repay the debt.”Indonesia, as a nation of thousands of islands with a big population heavily dependent on agriculture, fisheries, and hydropower, faces water problems of its own despite generous rainfall. Groundwater over‑extraction in Java, land subsidence in Jakarta, deforestation affecting hydrological cycles in Sumatra and Kalimantan, and shifting rainfall patterns across the country represent some of the main water-related challenges to tackle. These problems are more severe elsewhere. Mr. Madani painted a sobering picture of the trends contributing to global water bankruptcy. Countries with economic and technological resources have built infrastructure that allows them to extract more water than their ecosystems can sustain. Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, particularly in Africa and South America, they must face what he called economic water scarcity. Although water is available, people lack the means to access or distribute it properly due to poverty.He highlighted the growing imbalance in global water trade. Water-intensive goods, especially agricultural products, are often produced in countries that can least afford to bear the environmental costs. These products are exported to wealthier nations, effectively shifting water stress from one part of the world to another. “This form of ‘virtual water trade’ reflects a broader pattern of environmental inequality,” he said.The climate crisis, he added, is amplifying these pressures. Shifts in precipitation, longer droughts, and rising temperatures are making water systems more volatile and less predictable. What is more, damaged ecosystems such as wetlands, aquifers, and lakes are becoming harder, if not impossible, to restore. In many places, water scarcity has led to the collapse of rural livelihoods and has triggered water-related tensions between countries and regions.Rather than framing these water challenges as a temporary emergency that can be solved with building one more dam or a new desalination plant, Mr. Madani called for an honest conversation about adaptation. “We must acknowledge that some of the damage is permanent,” he said. “We need to stop treating this as a problem that can be solved overnight.”In response to a question from the audience about how to build stronger political will around water-related challenges, Mr. Madani explained that crises – such as droughts or floods – can serve as critical turning points, lowering the political cost of reform and opening space for stronger environmental action. He emphasized the need for scientists, media, and civil society to work together in shaping narratives that make water issues both visible and urgent in the eyes of the public and decision-makers alike.To increase public understanding of this complex topic, Mr. Madani stressed the importance of crafting narratives that resonate beyond technical audiences. That, he said, is the purpose of the Global Media Academy: to equip the media with the tools needed to communicate the urgency and complexity of water issues around the world. “There is no shortage of sad stories, but we also need stories of hope,” he said. “We need to show what is working and learn from local communities. By telling those stories, especially from the Global South, we can build a more inclusive and informed global response.”
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01 July 2025
Nine ways the UN supports the Free Nutritious Meals programme in Indonesia
Several countries have introduced programmes like the Free Nutritious Meals programme (MBG) launched in Indonesia in January. At the request of the Government, the United Nations in Indonesia is supporting these efforts, based on scientific research and international experience from around the world. This flagship programme of President Prabowo Subianto is designed to ensure access to balanced and healthy meals for school children, preschoolers, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women, addressing the triple burden of malnutrition: undernutrition, overweight, and micronutrient deficiencies. Meals are distributed through schools, community centres and local health facilities.“The UN in Indonesia stands fully behind the development priorities of the President and the Government, and support to the MGB has become a cornerstone of our cooperation framework,” said Gita Sabharwal, Resident Coordinator of the UN in Indonesia. As of May 2025, 1011 kitchens in 34 provinces provide meals to over 2 million beneficiaries. By the end of the year, the government plans to expand to 30,000 centralised kitchens, expected to provide food to up to 82.9 million people. By leveraging technology and partnerships with local farmers and suppliers, the programme aims to promote healthy eating habits while supporting the local economy. How exactly does the UN in Indonesia support the Government of Indonesia in putting nutritious food on the table for those who need it most? Scaling Up NutritionThe Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement is a global initiative of 63 countries to address all forms of malnutrition through multi-sector collaborations. In Indonesia, the movement is led by the Ministry of National Development and Planning (Bappenas), bringing together different sectors. Within the sector of Donor & UN Country Network for Nutrition (DUNCNN), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) leads a coalition of 13 international partners* to strengthen nutrition efforts across the country by providing technical assistance such as evidence generation, standard-setting, and capacity building, to the programme.Helping to set nutrition standardsThe World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) play a key role in providing technical support and developing guidelines for the programme. As the Secretariat of the Global School Meals Coalition, WFP has supported Indonesia in becoming a member and in strengthening its positioning in regional and global forums. WFP is also exploring, together with the government, the use of AI-driven menu optimization that considers nutrition, sourcing, food availability and pricing. Meanwhile, UNICEF supported the development of a set of national guidelines and standards for the effective implementation of the MBG. UNICEF trains local kitchen teams on optimizing menus and strengthening supply chains, and works to standardize water and sanitation quality assurance in kitchens, ensuring safe and hygienic food preparation.FAO, in the meantime, is conducting an analytical study to assess how current patterns of apparent food consumption align with Indonesia’s Food-Based Dietary Guidelines. Using household data, the study quantifies food group-level consumption gaps at national, provincial and household levels, disaggregated by income, geography and other factors. It also maps regional disparities to identify hotspots of underconsumption. The study will help improve the targeting and composition of MBG, identifying population groups and regions where school meal intervention is likely to have the greatest impact.Optimizing reachThe UN is helping to find the best ways to get nutritious meals to children, no matter where they live. This includes testing and documenting multiple kitchen models, optimizing reach and supply chain efficiencies, and meal distribution methods, especially in remote areas. By supporting hands-on training, capturing lessons learned, and working to standardise quality assurance in kitchens, UNICEF and WFP help communities build a system that works best for them. Nutrition educationEducation is key to making this programme last. By providing comprehensive nutrition education to kitchen staff, teachers, parents, students, and the wider public, UNICEF helps build lifelong healthy habits–—encouraging better food choices, mindful eating and sustainable nutrition practices. UNICEF also partners with universities to bring balanced nutrition awareness to more people, ensuring that knowledge about healthy eating spreads beyond the classroom. When communities understand the value of good nutrition, they become active participants in creating a healthier future.National Centre of ExcellenceIn February, Bappenas, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), IPB University and UNICEF launched the National Centre of Excellence for the MBG. The Centre focuses on teaching and training, research and innovation, knowledge management and policy development to support BGN in formulating policies, regulations and guidelines at both national and regional levels to enhance MBG programme coverage and quality. Additionally, the Centre will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating programme implementation to ensure its effectiveness.Local farmers, local ingredientsThe International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and FAO, in partnership with local communities, are connecting local producers and commodities with markets and building the capacity of rural communities to produce and process nutritious food for households, including through homestead gardening as well as cooking classes and shared breakfasts at elementary schools. UNICEF is supporting local authorities in Papua to provide nutritious and cost-efficient school meals, for Early Childhood Development and primary school students, using locally-sourced food and integrated essential nutrition services. WFP is supporting the linkages of smallholder farmers and other value chain actors, to MBG kitchens.Food Waste ManagementFAO is supporting the Government in the study of the circular economy concept for food waste management in the MBG programme, in line with the Roadmap and National Action Plan for Circular Economy. This study will formulate strategies for reducing and handling food waste from the MBG Programme by considering the principles of a circular economy.Fortified foodsTo alleviate micronutrient deficiencies, food fortification is a key part of the programme. With technical support from the UN, MBG uses fortified salt, wheat flour and cooking oil – all enriched with vitamins and minerals. WFP is supporting the government to integrate fortified rice in the national programme, including support to draft standards for fortified rice, a key pre-requisite for institutionalization. Through the Center of excellence, UNICEF is supporting a modelling of an integrated package of interventions including food system transformation to support the local economy.9. Optimize targeting and resource allocationUN Global Pulse developed a cutting-edge Decision Support System (DSS) for the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) to optimize the MBG programme implementation planning. By integrating official and non-conventional data sources, the DSS ensures precise targeting, efficient resource allocation, and effective programme implementation. — — — — — — — — — — — Note:*DUNCNN members consist of 13 donors and UN agencies:United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) (Lead)World Bank (Co-Lead)World Health Organization (WHO)Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)World Food Programme (WFP)Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) – Australia.United States Agency for International Development (USAID)Global Affairs CanadaInternational Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)Tanoto FoundationJapan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)Asian Development Bank (ADB)
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28 June 2025
Faith in finance: Indonesia's Innovative Path to Sustainable Development
The Southeast Asian country has already raised close to $12 billion in thematic bonds, including blue bonds and Islamic investment instruments over the last seven years.These efforts have been supported by development partners, including the United Nations.Putut Hari Satyaka, is the Deputy Minister for Development Financing and Investment at Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas). He spoke to UN News ahead of a key UN conference on financing for development which begins in Sevilla on 30 June.UN News: How much money is needed in Indonesia to achieve the SDGs and what is your estimated funding gap?Putut Hari Satyaka: The existence of an SDG financing gap remains a significant challenge, especially to developing countries. Indonesia is no exception. The financing gap to fully achieve all 17 goals and their targets remains significant. With an estimated $4.2 trillion needed for Indonesia to achieve the SDGs, there is a $1.7 trillion financing gap that is yet to be resolved.UN News: How can that gap be closed?Putut Hari Satyaka: We need an integrated and transformative approach, going beyond “business as usual”. For us, this means two things.Firstly, we must enhance the use of public finances to be more efficient, resilient and transparent. This includes improving budgetary alignment with SDG targets, strengthening expenditure efficiency, and ensuring that resources are effectively prioritized and utilized for sectors generating spill-over transformative effects to sustainable development.Secondly, we must be creative and innovative – meaning that we need to scale up the existing innovative financing methods and explore new ones. Some of the most prominent instruments and approaches are blended finance, thematic bonds and faith-based financing.Indonesia has been making great progress in this regard. We have created an ecosystem of a wide range of innovative instruments, attracting a diverse range of stakeholders and entities, supporting necessary regulations, and developing the enabling environment to nurture the market.UN News: What is faith-based financing and what has been Indonesia’s experience so far?Putut Hari Satyaka: Faith-based financing, especially within the Indonesian context, refers to financial practices grounded in religious principles, most notably, in the principles of Sharia law in Islam.As Indonesia has 241.5 million Muslims, 85 per cent of the population, and faith-based social financing like zakat and waqf have been a long-standing practice, deeply rooted in our society.What is new is the allocation of these instruments towards the SDGs. Indonesia has made strong progress in advancing Sharia finance as part of its inclusive growth agenda.Sharia financing is now growing by 14 per cent a year, outpacing conventional finance. We are also championing scaling-up, green sukuk, which is a Sharia-compliant bond specifically issued to finance environmentally friendly projects.This reflects Indonesia’s strong commitment to building a competitive financial ecosystem for faith-based instruments, and we will continue to strengthen collaboration, drive innovation, and ensure that faith-based financing plays a central role in our economic development.UN News: Are you able to raise new funding through these faith-based instruments? Critics sometimes say this is just another way to reach the same funds you could get otherwise.Putut Hari Satyaka: Yes, we are. With the world’s largest Muslim population, there is a massive potential in channeling faith-based financing towards the SDGs.In 2018, Indonesia issued the world’s first sovereign green sukuk, raising $1.25 billion to fund renewable energy and climate adaptation projects.Between 2019 and 2023, the government raised approximately $1.4 billion through domestic retail green sukuk, engaging individual investors in climate financing. This demonstrates the strong potential of green sukuk, both domestically and internationally.We also see great potential in Islamic Social Financing. Indonesia’s zakat potential is estimated at between $18 billion and $25 billion per year. The actual collection remains below 5 per cent of that potential, so there is clearly a vast opportunity to strengthen social finance.UN News: What lessons have you learned over the years and what advice do you have for national or subnational governments interested in faith-based financing?Putut Hari Satyaka: Although we have made great progress in faith-based financing, we have much room for enhancement, improvement and even exploration. Here are a few potential lessons:First and foremost, awareness raising is key. As many view faith-based financing also as community-based financing, society’s participation in these instruments starts with their understanding of their importance and the way the money will be used.Secondly, we see that the close coordination and concerted actions of relevant stakeholders are crucial. Overlaps are unavoidable without proper coordination. It is coordination – including with subnational governments, where we see room for improvement in order to scale-up faith-based financing in Indonesia.Finally, building trust takes time. Faith-based financing relies heavily on public confidence, both in the institutions managing the funds and in how the funds are used.Just like many other financing instruments, we have learned that transparency, accountability and consistent communication are essential to earn and maintain that trust.
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19 June 2025
UN Global Compact brings together Chinese and Indonesian private sectors to accelerate SDG progress
The private sector has a pivotal role to play in accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As the UN’s main platform for engaging businesses, the UN Global Compact is catalyzing this by bringing together thousands of companies around shared priorities. A new collaboration launched last month —bringing together private sector actors from China and Indonesia— demonstrates how this approach can drive large-scale impact.The Sino-Indonesia Corporate Community Action Network, launched in May at the Inaugural Global Business Summit on Belt and Road Infrastructure Investment for Better Business, Better World and SDGs, hosted by the Government of Indonesia, brought together business leaders, policymakers and UN representatives to explore how infrastructure investments can support inclusive, green and sustainable growth. It seeks to leverage cross-border and cross-sector partnerships to deepen cooperation in sustainable infrastructure, green energy transition, and the empowerment of small- and medium-sized enterprises between businesses from China and Indonesia. Putting Business at the Heart of DevelopmentIndonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) estimates that achieving the SDGs in the country by 2030 requires a total investment of US$ 8.7 trillion. With one fifth of this still to be identified, boosting private sector investment is critical to achieving Indonesia’s development ambitions and accelerating towards its ambitious 8% economic growth target. Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Investment and Downstream Industry Todotua Pasaribu said the government “was targeting around US$ 815 billion in high-quality direct investment, or approximately 15.7% above the current average growth over the coming five years.”In support of this objective, the United Nations in Indonesia works closely with the Indonesia Global Compact Network (IGCN), to mobilize investments for national development priorities. With 154 members representing US$ 266 billion in annual revenues and over half a million workers, the local chapter of Global Compact operates at a scale that can “move the dial on development priorities”, said Gita Sabharwal, the UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia, with IGCN member companies increasingly integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles into their core operations and board-level discussions. From China to Indonesia and BeyondChina’s corporate sector has also been rapidly incorporating ESG principles into business models, with over 1,000 Chinese entities now members of Global Compact. With China’s dual carbon goals of peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality by 2060, corporations are integrating measures to become greener and more sustainable. These efforts are reflected domestically and increasingly also through China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Global Development Initiative. This has led to an expansion of investments into areas such as green infrastructure and renewable energy, while also promoting environmentally responsible investment across projects. Through the Sino-Indonesia Corporate Community Action Network, the UN is helping to ensure investments are sustainable, demand driven and promote SDG progress. Indonesia is already seeing a growing focus on green investment, which the Network was able to showcase and build on. For example, “Huayou will increase investment in Indonesia’s with new energy industry partners… creating over 100,000 jobs with a workforce localization rate exceeding 90%,” said Chen Xuehua, Chairman of Huayou Cobalt.The UN Global Compact stands ready to support the initiative, Sanda Ojiambo, CEO & Executive Director said in her video message. “Sustainable infrastructure is no longer optional; it is a strategic imperative for long-term growth and resilience,” Ojiambo said. A declaration issued at the event detailed a shared commitment to align projects with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact. These principles cover human rights, labour, the environment, and anti-corruption—and offer businesses a clear framework for embedding sustainability into their core operations.“The UN sees the Sino-Indonesia Corporate Community Action Network as a vital platform to connect ideas with action, and ambition with implementation,” said Siddharth Chatterjee, the UN Resident Coordinator in China. “The Sino-Indonesia relationship is just the beginning, which we hope to expand to the rest of Southeast Asia for higher order results.” This story is based on the article "Better Business Beyond Borders: China and Indonesia Join Forces for Sustainable Development" published on the UN's UNSDG site https://unsdg.un.org/latest/stories/better-business-beyond-borders-china-and-indonesia-join-forces-sustainable
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19 June 2025
‘Smart grid’ helps accelerate energy transition in Indonesia
With support from the United Nations, the electricity grid on the central islands of Java, Madura, and Bali – home to over 160 million people – is now being upgraded and modernized to accommodate fluctuating energy loads from solar and wind power.“As a result of our cooperation with the UN, we now have a blueprint for a smart grid and are working to enable it to seamlessly integrate electricity from renewables in line with national priorities,” said Evy Haryadi, Director of Transmission and System Planning at state-owned electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN). “This will represent a huge step forward in decarbonizing Indonesia’s energy system.”As emphasized during a recent visit to Jakarta by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Climate Action and Just Transition, Selwin Hart, the smart grid initiative—supported by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)—is an integral part of the broader UN assistance in Indonesia to ensure a just energy transition. This includes work by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to bring renewable energy to remote islands not connected to the national grid, and by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to support the government in developing green skills.“The UN in Indonesia works in close partnership with the government to support its energy transition targets in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” said Gita Sabharwal, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Indonesia. “We provide fast response solutions and technical expertise to help accelerate progress toward government objectives in green energy.”The country’s 2025–2034 Electricity Supply Business Plan, launched in May, outlines a strategic shift toward a cleaner and investment-driven energy future. It targets 42.6 GW of new renewable power capacity and 10.3 GW of storage, while limiting new fossil fuel capacity to 16.6 GW. The plan is designed to align Indonesia’s climate commitments with the SDGs and enhance national energy resilience.The smart grid and, at its core, the control centre that manages electricity supply and demand, are crucial to this effort. The country expects a surge in renewable generation construction once the modernization of the JAMALI Control Center is completed.Historically, power grids were designed to receive electricity from sources with relatively constant output—such as coal, natural gas, or hydropower. However, some renewable sources function differently: solar plants generate electricity only when the sun is shining, and wind power only when the wind is blowing. In a so-called “smart grid,” the control centre must be able to adjust electricity intake from renewables and balance it with stable sources like coal, based on real-time weather conditions and consumption patterns. It will also utilize large-scale batteries to store excess electricity—for example, solar energy generated during particularly sunny periods.Established in the early 1980s, the JAMALI grid control center covers 79% of Indonesia’s generation capacity. The smart grid system design, delivered by UNOPS, enables the control centre to incorporate renewable energy forecasting capabilities and grid analysis tools to support stability and security, among other advanced features.The detailed engineering design for the JAMALI Main Control Center includes plans to consolidate five regional control centres into two to improve efficiency while maintaining redundancy. UNOPS also completed the tendering process and vendor selection for the design's implementation and is building the capacity of PLN staff involved in control centre operations to manage the new technology effectively. From design to implementationConstruction workers and engineers are now hard at work at PLN’s campus in Depok, just outside Jakarta, implementing the design provided by UNOPS. Completion of the control centre is expected by the end of 2025. During this phase, UNOPS is responsible for monitoring the selected vendors who are constructing, installing, configuring, and ultimately commissioning the new centre. “UNOPS has the project management expertise and know-how to continue supporting us and ensure the seamless and timely delivery of the project, in line with the original specifications,” said PLN’s Mr. Haryadi. “At the same time, we are building our internal capacity to eventually take over the task.”The work is progressing on schedule. The new buildings are largely completed, and installation of the industrial monitoring system—central to the control centre’s operation—is about 40 per cent complete. Based on the success of the initiative, discussions are underway to replicate the design for the four control centres that manage electricity supply on other islands across the country.UNOPS supports this modernization under the Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP), which provides technical expertise to partner countries in the region to help their national energy commitments in line with Paris Agreement and the SDGs. ETP is a multi-donor partnership, supported by the governments of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and philanthropic donors. ETP operates in Indonesia, the Philippines and Viet Nam, as well as at the ASEAN regional level, and works collaboratively to mobilize and coordinate resources to facilitate a just energy transition in the region.“The control centre upgrade promises to be a game-changer for Indonesia’s energy mix,” Ms Sabharwal said. “Our support is an impactful example of the UN’s assistance in middle-income countries: working behind the scenes and providing core technical expertise, we support the government’s priority of energy security by fast-tracking the green transformation.” This article was first published on the UN News website, ‘Smart grid’ helps accelerate energy transition in Indonesia, https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1164576
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Press Release
15 July 2025
The Sustainable Development Goals have improved millions of lives over the past decade, but progress remains insufficient, UN report finds
New York, 14 July 2025 – A decade after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations released today the 10th edition of its annual progress report, The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025. The report provides a stark assessment and a strong call for action. While millions of lives have improved, through gains in health, education, energy, and digital connectivity, the pace of change remains insufficient to meet the Goals by 2030. The latest available data show that only 35 per cent of targets are on track or making moderate progress, while nearly half are moving too slowly and 18 per cent have regressed."We are facing a development emergency,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “But this report is more than a snapshot of today. It's also a compass pointing the way to progress. This report shows that the Sustainable Development Goals are still within reach. But only if we act – with urgency, unity, and unwavering resolve.” Progress amid adversityDespite cascading global challenges, the report documents notable global achievements:New HIV infections have declined by nearly 40 per cent since 2010.Malaria prevention has averted 2.2 billion cases and saved 12.7 million lives since 2000.Social protection now reaches over half the world’s population, up significantly from a decade ago. Since 2015, 110 million more children and youth have entered school.Child marriage is in decline, with more girls staying in school and women gaining ground in parliaments around the world.In 2023, 92 per cent of the world’s population had access to electricity.Internet use has surged from 40 per cent in 2015 to 68 per cent in 2024, unlocking access to education, jobs, and civic participation.Conservation efforts have doubled protection of key ecosystems, contributing to global biodiversity resilience. Hard truths and systemic risksAt the same time, the report calls attention to challenges that continue to hold back sustainable development progress:More than 800 million people still live in extreme poverty.Billions still lack access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services.Climate change pushed 2024 to be the hottest year on record, with temperatures 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels.Conflicts caused nearly 50,000 deaths in 2024. By the end of that year, over 120 million people were forcibly displaced.Low- and middle-income countries faced record-high debt servicing costs of $1.4 trillion in 2023. A roadmap for accelerationThe report calls for action across six priority areas where intensified effort can generate transformative impact: food systems, energy access, digital transformation, education, jobs and social protection, and climate and biodiversity action.It also urges governments and partners to implement the Medellín Framework for Action, a roadmap adopted at the 2024 UN World Data Forum, to strengthen data systems essential for responsive policymaking. Success stories show that the Goals are achievableGlobal averages may mask meaningful advances in many countries that have made substantial progress across different Goals. For example, 45 countries have achieved universal electricity access in the past decade and 54 countries had eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease by the end of 2024. These national and local successes, driven by sound policies, strong institutions, and inclusive partnerships, prove that accelerated progress is not only possible, but already happening. The final five years to 2030 present an opportunity to deliver on the promises of the SDGs. The 2030 Agenda is not aspirational; it is non-negotiable.“This is not a moment for despair, but for determined action,” said Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. “We have the knowledge, tools, and partnerships to drive transformation. What we need now is urgent multilateralism—a recommitment to shared responsibility and sustained investment.” Additional key facts and figures:ProgressBetween 2012 and 2024, the prevalence of stunting among children under age 5 decreased from 26.4 per cent to 23.2 per cent.Healthy life expectancy increased by over five years between 2000 and 2019. However, COVID-19 reversed some of these gains, cutting life expectancy by 1.8 years.Global maternal mortality ratio dropped from 228 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015 to 197 in 2023. Under-5 mortality fell to 37 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023, a 16 per cent reduction from 44 in 2015.By the end of 2024, 54 countries had eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease.Between 2019 and 2024, 99 positive legal reforms were implemented to remove discriminatory laws and establish gender equality frameworks.As of 1 January 2025, women held 27.2 per cent of the seats in national parliaments, up 4.9 percentage points from 2015.Renewable energy is the fastest-growing energy source today and is projected to surpass coal as the primary electricity source in 2025.5G mobile broadband now covers 51 per cent of the global population. SetbacksWithout a significant acceleration in efforts, 8.9 per cent of the global population will still be living in extreme poverty by 2030 under the revised international poverty line.Nearly 1 in 11 people worldwide faced hunger in 2023. In 2023, 272 million children and youth remained out of school. Women perform 2.5 times as many unpaid domestic and care work as men.In 2024, 2.2 billion people lacked safely managed drinking water, 3.4 billion went without safely managed sanitation, and 1.7 billion lacked basic hygiene services at home.The global refugee population has surged to 37.8 million by mid-2024.Worldwide, 1.12 billion people live in slums or informal settlements without basic services.Official development assistance declined 7.1 per cent in 2024 after five years of growth, with further cuts expected through 2025. For more information, please visit: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025 Hashtags: #SDGreport #SDGs #GlobalGoals Media contacts: Martina Donlon, UN Department of Global Communications, donlon@un.org Helen Rosengren, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, rosengrenh@un.org
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Press Release
07 July 2025
Indonesia Moves Toward One Digital System: UNDP and DEN Signed Statement of Intent to Accelerate Digital Transformation
Jakarta, 7 July 2025 – As part of President Prabowo Subianto’s mandate to modernize public services and accelerate digital transformation for a unified national digital infrastructure, the National Economic Council (DEN) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Indonesia signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) to advance Indonesia’s digital transformation through the Digital Nusantara initiative today.With over 200 million mobile internet users and a digital economy projected to reach USD 1945 billion in e-commerce alone by 2030, digital technology holds significant potential to accelerate Indonesia’s progress toward inclusive and sustainable development. However, the shift from fragmented digital platforms to a single, interoperable, secure, and scalable system requires significant technical, institutional, and cultural change. At the core of Indonesia’s digital transformation is the use of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) approach, integrating digital identification, authentication protocols, and data exchange. DPI ensures that services like social protection, civic registration, and health services are seamlessly accessible, transparent, and responsive to people’s needs.Mr. Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, DEN’s Chairperson, welcomed the collaboration, noting “This initiative is about improving public service delivery through integration, efficiency, and providing tangible results for our people. With this unified digital system, we are cutting through bureaucracy and ensuring that government services, especially social assistance, reach the right people at the right time.”Through this partnership, DEN and UNDP will work to finalize the social protection digital system, foster the greater awareness about the unified system, facilitate coordination across ministries, and expand to the next service DPI use-case, to simplify access to government services, enable data-driven policymaking, enhance accountability, and boost Indonesia’s revenue. UNDP will provide strategic advisory support, technical assistance from national and international experts, and leverage local expertise and knowledge. “This partnership marks a crucial milestone,” said Mr. Norimasa Shimomura, UNDP Indonesia Resident Representative. “Digital transformation is not just about technology. It is about improving how public services reach people. We are proud to support DEN’s leadership through the Digital Nusantara initiative to unlock the full potential of digital public infrastructure for inclusive and accountable governance.”“By building a secure and interoperable digital backbone, starting with social assistance, we are creating a more efficient and responsive government system. This integration allows services to be delivered faster, more accurately, and with greater accountability, supporting the President’s vision for a modern, inclusive, and resilient economy,” said Mr. Septian Hario Seto, DEN’s Executive Secretary.While initial efforts focus on supporting the government in finalizing the unified social protection system, this approach could eventually be applied to other essential services — such as civil registration, health services, or a national payment platform. These efforts could pave the way for more accessible, reliable, and people-centered public services across the country.*
About UNDP
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP.About DEN
The National Economic Council of the Republic Indonesia (DEN) is a non-structural government body under and responsible to the President of the Republic of Indonesia. DEN is tasked with providing support and recommendations to the President in accelerating the implementation of strategic policies and priority programs in the economic sector.Media Contacts
Nabilla Rahmani, Head of Communications UNDP Indonesia (Nabilla.rahmani@undp.org)
About UNDP
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP.About DEN
The National Economic Council of the Republic Indonesia (DEN) is a non-structural government body under and responsible to the President of the Republic of Indonesia. DEN is tasked with providing support and recommendations to the President in accelerating the implementation of strategic policies and priority programs in the economic sector.Media Contacts
Nabilla Rahmani, Head of Communications UNDP Indonesia (Nabilla.rahmani@undp.org)
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Press Release
27 June 2025
USD $42 million program launched for primary forests in Southeast Asia and the Pacific
27 June 2025, Chiang Mai – Stretching from Bhutan to Papua New Guinea, the Indo-Malaya Forest biome harbors one of the last major primary forest areas in the world, hosting more than 5,000 threatened species. 60% of its original vegetation is already lost, and the remaining primary forests are under pressure from unsustainable agriculture, logging, and competing land use. Over 560 million people in the region depend on the resources provided by these forests, such as water regulation, carbon sequestration, and timber and non-timber forest products.To maintain the integrity of these primary forests, so they can deliver biodiversity, climate, and livelihood benefits, a new Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded initiative—the Southeast Asia and the Pacific Forests Integrated Program—was launched at an inception workshop in Chiang Mai, Thailand, hosted by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand. The program will be led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The program channels USD 42.4 million in GEF grants and USD 185 million in co-financing to three country projects in Lao PDR, Papua New Guinea, and Thailand and one regional coordination project aiming to protect the primary forests of Southeast Asia and the Pacific. It aims to improve the management of 3.2 million hectares of protected areas and over 7 million hectares of landscapes, restore 8,500 hectares of degraded ecosystems, mitigate 34 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, and benefit nearly 20,000 people.Country projects will be implemented by FAO and UNDP and executed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Lao PDR, the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority of Papua New Guinea, and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand. The Regional Coordination Project, led by IUCN and FAO with partners such as CIFOR-ICRAF and Grow Asia, will bring together countries across the region to align their strategies, share knowledge and practical experience, and catalyze coordinated action across the biome.Eight countries in the region participated in the inception workshop – Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam – and further developed the program’s objectives and coordination mechanisms.Countries and partners agreed on priority outputs that the six-year program should address, including a regional vision on primary forests, a primary forest investment forum, and a knowledge and learning hub.
The program will support the development of coherent policies, frameworks, and strategies at national and regional levels to help minimize the loss of primary forests and promote the recognition of other effective area-based conservation mechanisms in primary forest landscapes. The regional coordination project will enhance collaboration and south-south cooperation to facilitate knowledge exchange, technical support, and capacity development for improved management of primary forests across borders.The program is one of five GEF integrated investments for primary forests under the GEF-8 replenishment. The program will connect with the GEF-8 Critical Forest Biomes Integrated Programs for the Amazon, Guinean Forests, Mesoamerica, and the Congo Basin to drive global systems change in globally important tropical forest landscapes.“Conserving primary tropical forests is the best response to the urgent environmental crisis that is a threat to human well-being globally and doing so can support green development. This program embodies strong commitment and political will to address the drivers of forest loss in proactive and innovative ways. These efforts have many benefits for human development as well as for ecosystems and are fully aligned with implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.” - Mr. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, GEF CEO and Chairperson“The Indo-Malayan Forest biome is one of the world’s most ancient and ecologically rich ecosystems — a living reservoir of biodiversity, culture, and climate resilience. With growing pressure on these forests, this new program offers a timely and transformative opportunity to turn the tide. By uniting governments, regional and international organisations, civil society, and the private sector, we are building a cohesive framework for transboundary collaboration that will amplify conservation impact across the entire Indo-Malayan region. IUCN is proud to contribute to this collective effort, bringing our global expertise, trusted knowledge products, and proven tools to the table.” - Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General“These primary forests provide essential services to the whole region, especially rural communities who depend on forest resources for their livelihoods and food security. This Integrated Program boosts regional action to conserve, protect, restore and promote sustainable use of precious primary forest landscapes in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, where most remaining primary forests are located outside any formal protection status. This collaboration across countries and organizations will drive down the risks of biodiversity loss and climate change for better production, better nutrition, better environment, and better life.” - Mr. Alue Dohong, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific About IUCNIUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,400 Member organisations and the input of more than 17,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
www.iucn.orgAbout FAOFAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. As a partner agency for the GEF, FAO supports countries worldwide in addressing the complex challenges at the nexus between the agrifood systems and the environment. Since 2006, FAO has supported 141 countries in accessing nearly $2 billion in grants for projects that respond to local priorities, deliver global environmental benefits, and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
www.fao.org/GEFAbout the GEFThe Global Environment Facility (GEF) includes several multilateral funds working together to address the planet's most pressing challenges in an integrated way. Its financing helps developing countries address complex challenges and work towards meeting international environmental goals. Over the past three decades, the GEF has provided more than $26 billion in financing, primarily as grants, and mobilized another $153 billion for country-driven priority projects.
www.thegef.orgContact:Tiy Chung, FAO Regional Communications Officer for Asia and the Pacific, tiy.chung@fao.orgArdila Syakriah, FAO Indonesia National Communications Specialist, ardila.syakriah@fao.org / +6282230428291
The program will support the development of coherent policies, frameworks, and strategies at national and regional levels to help minimize the loss of primary forests and promote the recognition of other effective area-based conservation mechanisms in primary forest landscapes. The regional coordination project will enhance collaboration and south-south cooperation to facilitate knowledge exchange, technical support, and capacity development for improved management of primary forests across borders.The program is one of five GEF integrated investments for primary forests under the GEF-8 replenishment. The program will connect with the GEF-8 Critical Forest Biomes Integrated Programs for the Amazon, Guinean Forests, Mesoamerica, and the Congo Basin to drive global systems change in globally important tropical forest landscapes.“Conserving primary tropical forests is the best response to the urgent environmental crisis that is a threat to human well-being globally and doing so can support green development. This program embodies strong commitment and political will to address the drivers of forest loss in proactive and innovative ways. These efforts have many benefits for human development as well as for ecosystems and are fully aligned with implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.” - Mr. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, GEF CEO and Chairperson“The Indo-Malayan Forest biome is one of the world’s most ancient and ecologically rich ecosystems — a living reservoir of biodiversity, culture, and climate resilience. With growing pressure on these forests, this new program offers a timely and transformative opportunity to turn the tide. By uniting governments, regional and international organisations, civil society, and the private sector, we are building a cohesive framework for transboundary collaboration that will amplify conservation impact across the entire Indo-Malayan region. IUCN is proud to contribute to this collective effort, bringing our global expertise, trusted knowledge products, and proven tools to the table.” - Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General“These primary forests provide essential services to the whole region, especially rural communities who depend on forest resources for their livelihoods and food security. This Integrated Program boosts regional action to conserve, protect, restore and promote sustainable use of precious primary forest landscapes in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, where most remaining primary forests are located outside any formal protection status. This collaboration across countries and organizations will drive down the risks of biodiversity loss and climate change for better production, better nutrition, better environment, and better life.” - Mr. Alue Dohong, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific About IUCNIUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,400 Member organisations and the input of more than 17,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
www.iucn.orgAbout FAOFAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. As a partner agency for the GEF, FAO supports countries worldwide in addressing the complex challenges at the nexus between the agrifood systems and the environment. Since 2006, FAO has supported 141 countries in accessing nearly $2 billion in grants for projects that respond to local priorities, deliver global environmental benefits, and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
www.fao.org/GEFAbout the GEFThe Global Environment Facility (GEF) includes several multilateral funds working together to address the planet's most pressing challenges in an integrated way. Its financing helps developing countries address complex challenges and work towards meeting international environmental goals. Over the past three decades, the GEF has provided more than $26 billion in financing, primarily as grants, and mobilized another $153 billion for country-driven priority projects.
www.thegef.orgContact:Tiy Chung, FAO Regional Communications Officer for Asia and the Pacific, tiy.chung@fao.orgArdila Syakriah, FAO Indonesia National Communications Specialist, ardila.syakriah@fao.org / +6282230428291
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Press Release
20 June 2025
Number of People Uprooted by War at Shocking Decade-High Levels – UNHCR
The number of people displaced by war, violence, and persecution worldwide is untenably high, particularly as humanitarian funding evaporates, with the only bright spot being a pickup in returns, notably to Syria, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, said today.UNHCR recently launched the 2024 Global Report: https://www.unhcr.org/publications/global-report
and 2025 Global Trend: https://www.unhcr.org/global-trends, in advance of World Refugee Day, observed annually on June 20.There were 122.1 million forcibly displaced people by the end of April 2025, up from 120 million at the same time last year, representing around a decade of year-on-year increases in the number of refugees and others forced to flee their homes. The main drivers of displacement remain large conflicts like Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine, and the continued failure to stop the fighting. Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said: “We are living in a time of intense volatility in international relations, with modern warfare creating a fragile, harrowing landscape marked by acute human suffering. We must redouble our efforts to search for peace and find long-lasting solutions for refugees and others forced to flee their homes.” Forcibly displaced people include people displaced within their own country by conflict, which grew sharply by 6.3 million to 73.5 million at the end of 2024, and refugees fleeing their countries (42.7 million people). Sudan became the world’s largest forced displacement situation with 14.3 million refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs), replacing Syria (13.5 million), and followed by Afghanistan (10.3 million) and Ukraine (8.8 million). The report found that, contrary to widespread perceptions in wealthier regions, 67 per cent of refugees stay in neighbouring countries, with low and middle-income countries hosting 73 per cent of the world’s refugees. Indeed, 60 per cent of people forced to flee never leave their own country. While the number of forcibly displaced people has almost doubled in the last decade, funding for UNHCR now stands at roughly the same level as in 2015 amid brutal and ongoing cuts to humanitarian aid. This situation is untenable, leaving refugees and others fleeing danger even more vulnerable. “Even amid the devastating cuts, we have seen some rays of hope over the last six months,” Grandi added. “Nearly 2 million Syrians have been able to return home after over a decade uprooted. The country remains fragile, and people need our help to rebuild their lives again.” In total, 9.8 million forcibly displaced people returned home in 2024, including 1.6 million refugees (the most for more than two decades) and 8.2 million IDPs (the second highest ever). Many of these returns, however, happened in an adverse political or security climate. For example, a large number of Afghans were forced to return to Afghanistan in 2024, arriving home in desperate conditions. In countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, and South Sudan, there were significant new forced displacements at the same time as the return of refugees and IDPs. The report calls for continued funding of UNHCR programmes that save lives, assist refugees and IDPs returning home, and reinforce basic infrastructure and social services in host communities, as an essential investment in regional and global security. For more information, please contact:
Mitra Suryono, suryono@unhcr.org, +62 811 1960 0493
and 2025 Global Trend: https://www.unhcr.org/global-trends, in advance of World Refugee Day, observed annually on June 20.There were 122.1 million forcibly displaced people by the end of April 2025, up from 120 million at the same time last year, representing around a decade of year-on-year increases in the number of refugees and others forced to flee their homes. The main drivers of displacement remain large conflicts like Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine, and the continued failure to stop the fighting. Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said: “We are living in a time of intense volatility in international relations, with modern warfare creating a fragile, harrowing landscape marked by acute human suffering. We must redouble our efforts to search for peace and find long-lasting solutions for refugees and others forced to flee their homes.” Forcibly displaced people include people displaced within their own country by conflict, which grew sharply by 6.3 million to 73.5 million at the end of 2024, and refugees fleeing their countries (42.7 million people). Sudan became the world’s largest forced displacement situation with 14.3 million refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs), replacing Syria (13.5 million), and followed by Afghanistan (10.3 million) and Ukraine (8.8 million). The report found that, contrary to widespread perceptions in wealthier regions, 67 per cent of refugees stay in neighbouring countries, with low and middle-income countries hosting 73 per cent of the world’s refugees. Indeed, 60 per cent of people forced to flee never leave their own country. While the number of forcibly displaced people has almost doubled in the last decade, funding for UNHCR now stands at roughly the same level as in 2015 amid brutal and ongoing cuts to humanitarian aid. This situation is untenable, leaving refugees and others fleeing danger even more vulnerable. “Even amid the devastating cuts, we have seen some rays of hope over the last six months,” Grandi added. “Nearly 2 million Syrians have been able to return home after over a decade uprooted. The country remains fragile, and people need our help to rebuild their lives again.” In total, 9.8 million forcibly displaced people returned home in 2024, including 1.6 million refugees (the most for more than two decades) and 8.2 million IDPs (the second highest ever). Many of these returns, however, happened in an adverse political or security climate. For example, a large number of Afghans were forced to return to Afghanistan in 2024, arriving home in desperate conditions. In countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, and South Sudan, there were significant new forced displacements at the same time as the return of refugees and IDPs. The report calls for continued funding of UNHCR programmes that save lives, assist refugees and IDPs returning home, and reinforce basic infrastructure and social services in host communities, as an essential investment in regional and global security. For more information, please contact:
Mitra Suryono, suryono@unhcr.org, +62 811 1960 0493
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Press Release
19 June 2025
Japan, KKP, and UNDP Indonesia Launch “seaBLUE” Initiative to Support Coastal Communities and Indonesia’s Sustainable Marine Future
Jakarta, 19 June 2025 — As the world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia is home to over two million small-scale fishers who contribute to over 80 per cent of the country’s total fisheries production, valued at US$35.7 billion and accounting for almost 3% percent of national GDP. Yet many of these fishers, particularly women, still face barriers that limit their productivity and resilience—from limited access to finance and training to the growing impacts of climate change and unsustainable practices.Recognizing these challenges, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) officially launched the Strengthening Livelihoods of Small-scale Fishers and Promoting Sustainable Local Economic Development through the Blue Economy (seaBLUE) initiative. Funded by the Government of Japan, the program is designed to support Indonesia’s Blue Economy Roadmap 2023-2045 by introducing green technologies to small-scale fishers, investing in community-driven solutions, and building an inclusive governance to support the resilient fisheries sector. The launch event, held at the KKP main office in Jakarta, was attended by representatives from the KKP, other ministries supporting Indonesia’s blue economy, the Embassy of Japan, development partners, and NGOs and CSOs. The event featured a panel discussion highlighting opportunities for small-scale fisheries, including the adoption of green technologies. “Japan is committed to supporting Indonesia’s inclusive and sustainable development, and we are proud to collaborate on this initiative that strengthens livelihoods while safeguarding our shared marine ecosystems with KKP and UNDP. We hope that the new UNDP project will create a good synergy with Japan’s ongoing cooperation at the same project sites, Morotai and Saumlaki Islands, where JICA has recently constructed new fishery ports, markets and freezing facilities,” said Mr. Hajime Ueda, Minister of Economic Affairs and Development at the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia. Indonesia’s fisheries sector currently faces serious structural and environmental pressures. Nearly 96% of fishers operate on a small scale, often without access to basic infrastructure or modern equipment. Meanwhile, the sector contributes significantly to marine-based emissions, with shipping activities—including those from traditional boats—accounting for nearly 19 percent of the country’s CO₂ output. Without bold interventions, the long-term health of marine ecosystems and the livelihoods they support remain at risk.At the heart of the initiative is a commitment to deliver real, practical change. The program will provide targeted training and economic diversification support for 500 small-scale fishers, particularly women, helping build more stable incomes. To reduce post-harvest losses and lower carbon emissions, the project will also pilot the use of electric boats and solar-powered cooler boxes and cold storage. These innovations aim to make the value chain more efficient while easing the sector’s environmental footprint.SeaBLUE also supports the broader vision of President Prabowo Subianto, who has emphasized the marine sector’s role in strengthening rural development and national food security. By combining climate-smart technologies with local capacity-building, the initiative demonstrates that inclusive development and sustainability can go hand in hand. In doing so, seaBLUE is set to directly benefit 1,600 individuals—at least 30 percent of whom are women—and indirectly reach approximately 8,000 community members.“We believe in the power of ingenuity and optimism of the coastal communities in Indonesia. Through seaBLUE, we are investing not only in technology but in people, especially women, who are the backbone of our fisheries sector,” said Ms. Sujala Pant, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Indonesia. To ensure increased access to public services, seaBLUE will also promote the broader use of the Marine and Fisheries Business Actor Card (KUSUKA) digital identification platform, enabling small-scale fishers to benefit from insurance, credit, training, and government subsidies. The project targets 1,500 new registrations and includes training for at least 100 government officials to improve data quality and engagement at the local level.Initial implementation of the project will take place in Morotai (North Maluku Province), and Tanimbar (Maluku Province), two remote island regencies where coastal communities face limited access to infrastructure, technology, and public services that support sustainable fisheries. These locations were selected in consideration of ongoing efforts to promote a sustainable and inclusive fishery sector by KKP, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and UNDP. SeaBLUE builds on more than a decade of collaboration between UNDP and KKP, including the two phases of Arafura and Timor Seas Ecosystem Action (ATSEA) programme. It also builds on JICA’s support for infrastructure development in Morotai and Tanimbar, while incorporating practical lessons from Japan in areas such as technology and community-based fisheries management. These inputs aim to strengthen Indonesia’s efforts toward more sustainable and inclusive marine resource management. Dr. Didit Herdiman, Vice Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, underlined the alignment with Indonesia’s national development goals. “This initiative reflects our commitment to build a resilient and inclusive marine economy by empowering small-scale fishers and strengthening the systems that support them.”Media Contact: Nabilla Rahmani, Head of Communications UNDP Indonesia nabilla.rahmani@undp.orgAbout UNDP: UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP.
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