International Tropical Timber Organisation Grants US$ 2 Million to Indonesia
Copyright 2000 Asia Pulse Pte Limited
November 8, 2000
The International Tropical Timber Organisation ITTO has agreed to grant US$ 2 million to Indonesia to finance five forestry projects, Junior Minister of Forestry Nurmahmudi Ismail said.
The organisation agreed to provide the grant at its meeting in Yokohama, Japan, from Oct 30 to Nov 4, he said on Tuesday.
One of the projects was the continuation of the ITTO-funded pilot forestry project in Bulungan, East Kalimantan, he said.
Under the agreement, the project would receive US$ 130,000.
Ismail said US$ 477,433 would be used to develop forests to meet demand for logs with small diameter. However, this amount fell short of the total fund needed for the project which would cost US$ 1.56 million.
He said US$ 326,523 would go to the Association of Indonesian Forestry Companies APHI to provide education and training courses on the application of ITTO criteria and indicators.
He said US$ 853,398 would be used to manage Kayan Mentaran national park in East Kalimantan bordering on the Malaysian state of Sabah.
The last grant would be used to draw up an action plan for the restructuring of forestry industry, the eradication of illegal wood exports and the drawing up of national forestry program.
ITTO groups the world's tropical wood producers and consumers.
The organisation convenes at least twice a year. Indonesia will host an ITTO meeting in 2002.