Blue Agenda Development Accelerated Through Indonesia-UN Partnership

A sustainable ocean economy is critical for Indonesia, as well as for other coastal countries. It contributes to higher revenues from ocean-based activities, which are channeled back into marine conservation, encourages sustainable livelihoods and blue food for coastal communities, and conserves marine biodiversity with recovering marine and coastal ecosystems.

Jodi Mahardi, Deputy Minister for Maritime Affairs at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, said: "We and the UN are working together to build a strategic partnership to encourage accelerated development in the field of sustainable maritime resources in accordance with the government's main objectives. We appreciate the assistance to the Government of Indonesia in accelerating the achievement of the government's development targets, both short and medium term in the maritime sector."

UN Representative in Indonesia, Valerie Julliand, said: "Healthy oceans are essential for the survival of humanity. The UN system in Indonesia is pleased to join the government and development partners to build a sustainable marine economy". She emphasized the "three Cs" - coordination, collaboration and commitment - to ensure that the work of all stakeholders is complementary, effective and efficient and contributes significantly to the government's National Medium-Term Development Plan targets related to marine resources. It can also support the unleashing of the country's blue economy potential in achieving the SDGs.

Under the National Blue Agenda Action Partnership, Kemenko Marvest and the UN team in Indonesia work closely with other relevant ministries and agencies as well as the diplomatic community in supporting Indonesia's role as a global leader in the Blue Agenda. The Blue Agenda seeks to support sustainable growth in the marine and maritime sectors. Coordinated strategic support for Indonesia by the UN will focus on four pillars: blue health, blue food, blue innovation and blue finance. Deputy Mahardi called on all relevant stakeholders to join the Partnership, which is scheduled to be launched on November 14 at the Ocean 20 side event to the G20 Summit in Bali.

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About National Blue Agenda Action Partnership:

There are four pillars of Partnership:

1. Blue Health: (blue biodiversity and conservation, restoration, ecosystem management, coastal spatial planning, )

2. Blue Food (production, consumption, marine and aquaculture, market penetration and access to supply chains, food security systems, small-scale producers, sustainability certification and product competitiveness, innovation and investment angles)

3. Inovasi Biru (science and technology applications, human development, capacity building, employment, livelihoods, e-applications)

4. Blue Finance: (creative financing, payment for ecosystem services, blue economy, blue bonds, blue Sukuk, incubation/start-ups).

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About the UN in Indonesia:

The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945. It currently consists of 193 Member States. The mission and work of the United Nations is guided by the purposes and principles contained in its founding Charter. In Indonesia, the UN is committed to supporting the Government of Indonesia in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The UN Country Team (UNCT) is led by the UN Resident Coordinator (RC), the representative of the UN Secretary-General at the country level. The RC leads the UNCT in consultation with the Government to define and agree on the UN's strategic response to the Government's development priorities in implementing the 2030 Agenda.

About the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment

The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenko Marvest) is an Indonesian government ministry tasked with coordinating the synchronization and control of policies in the marine and investment sectors led by Mr. Luhut B. Pandjaitan.

As stipulated in Presidential Regulation No. 10/2015, Kemenko Marvest has the following functions:

• Coordinating and synchronizing the formulation, establishment, and implementation of ministerial policies in the marine sector.
• Controlling the implementation of ministerial policies in the marine sector.
• Coordinating the implementation of tasks, coaching, and providing administrative support to all organizational elements within the Kemenko Marvest.
• Coordinating and synchronizing the development of maritime state resilience and maritime resource management.