U.S. Offers Debt Relief to Save Thailand's Tropical Forests
COPYRIGHT 2001 XINHUA NEWS AGENCY
September 19, 2001
BANGKOK, September 19 - The United States on Wednesday offered a debt relief program to Thailand in order to help conserve tropical forests in the country, the state-owned radio reported.
Under the Tropical Forest Conservation Act (TFCA) signed by U.S. Ambassador Richard Hecklinger and Thai Finance Minister Somkid Jatusripitak here Wednesday afternoon, about 9.5 million U.S. dollars of interest payments generated from Thailand's debt to the U.S. would be redirected to finance Thailand's forest conservation activities. Moreover, the U.S. is providing Thailand with 1.2 million dollars of debt relief and 1.9 million dollars in total cash flow through the TFCA within 28 years.
The move is aimed to encourage local communities and nongovernmental organizations to develop and implement grassroots solutions to conservation problems.
A forest fund will be set up under the TFCA program to support a wide range of activities, such as training programs and restoration of deforested areas.
Thailand is the fourth country to participate in the U.S.- financed TFCA program and the first nation in Southeast Asia. Others in the program are Bangladesh, El Salvador and Belize.