Indonesian envoy accredited

President Bharrat Jagdeo has accredited a new Indonesian ambassador to Guyana, Nur Syahrir Rahardjo, as the two countries vow to explore areas of mutual cooperation.

After the official ceremony in the Credentials Room of the Office of the President on Wednesday, Nur Syahrir Rahardjo, who is resident in Suriname, where he also serves as ambassador, told the media that the immediate priority areas are trade and agriculture.

He disclosed that within the first quarter of 2011, an agriculture expert will be here to examine the possibility of growing Rambutan trees and mangroves. Like Guyana, Indonesia depends heavily on mangroves for protection from the sea. The nation comprises more than 17, 000 islands.

Culture is another area that Ambassador Rahardjo said the two countries are looking to for mutual cooperation, as he disclosed that a cultural mission is also due here next year. Indonesia has around 300 ethnic groups, each with a unique cultural identities developed over centuries and influenced by Indian, Arabic, Chinese, and European sources. Traditional Javanese and Balinese dances, for example, contain aspects of Hindu culture and mythology, as do wayang kulit (shadow puppet) performances. Textiles such as batik, ikat and songket are created across Indonesia in styles that vary by region.

The ambassador told Guyana Times that Guyana and Indonesia would also cooperate on the very topical issue of climate change. He revealed that delegates of the two nations collaborate at the level of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 

In May of this year, Indonesia signed a US$1 billion deal aimed at reducing deforestation and forest degradation similar to the deal Norway has with Guyana. Indonesia is to take immediate and decisive action to reduce its forest and peat-related greenhouse gas emissions. The nation has the largest emissions from deforestation and degradation of forests and tropical peat land. The country has the third largest forest area in the world and half of the world’s tropical peat lands. With 17,508 islands, Indonesia is a mega biodiversity country – one of the five most species diverse countries in the world. Because of the multiple threats to its forests and their associated biodiversity, Indonesia has been identified by all recent international priority-setting exercises as a global priority for actions to conserve biodiversity.