EduAsiaNews, Siem Reap Cambodia – Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the country’s leadership in sustainable forest management at the regional level through its participation in the 21st ASEAN Working Group on Forest Management (21st AWG-FM) held in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
The Indonesian delegation was led by Dr. Ristianto Pribadi, Head of the Bureau of Public Relations and International Cooperation, accompanied by the Director of Forest Products Processing and Marketing Development, as well as representatives from the Ministry’s Secretariat General and the Directorate General of Sustainable Forest Management.
Indonesia’s participation in the forum reflects the policy direction of Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni to strengthen the country’s forestry diplomacy while showcasing the progress of Indonesia’s forestry governance transformation, which is focused on sustainability, community welfare, and meaningful contributions to the global climate agenda.
During the meeting, Indonesia presented significant progress in sustainable forest management, including updated national forestry statistics, technology-based forest monitoring systems, the development of Nature-based Solutions (NbS), strengthened regional cooperation, and strategic recommendations to accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) across ASEAN.
In line with the Minister’s directive, Indonesia continues to transform its forestry sector to deliver balanced economic, social, and environmental benefits. The country currently manages 123.9 million hectares of forest area, including 67 million hectares of sustainably managed production forests supported by increasingly modern, transparent, and accountable governance. Strengthening the national forest monitoring system, digitalizing forestry services, and implementing the Timber Legality and Sustainability Verification System (SVLK+) have become key pillars in enhancing the global competitiveness of Indonesia’s forest products.
Indonesia also highlighted the success of its Social Forestry Program, which has granted local communities management access to approximately 8.4 million hectares of forest land, benefiting more than 1.4 million households and supporting the establishment of over 16,600 Social Forestry Business Groups (KUPS). The program has become one of the Government’s primary instruments for improving community livelihoods while conserving forest ecosystems.
The forum also served as an opportunity for Indonesia to introduce the implementation of Minister of Forestry Regulation No. 6 of 2026 on Procedures for Implementing Carbon Economic Value in the Forestry Sector. The regulation marks an important milestone in strengthening the integrity of forestry carbon trading, providing legal certainty for stakeholders, and creating broader opportunities for green investment.
In addition, Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to promoting forest and land rehabilitation, ecosystem restoration, multi-business forestry, Food and Energy Crop Agroforestry (FAPE), and sustainable mangrove management as nature-based solutions supporting food security, energy security, and climate change mitigation.
At the regional level, Indonesia encouraged stronger collaboration among ASEAN member states through increased forestry investment, digital transformation in forest management, bioeconomy development, carbon trading, diversification of forest products, and accelerated implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Sustainable Forest Management.
Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni emphasized that Indonesia remains committed to positioning the forestry sector as a key pillar of national development capable of balancing economic growth, environmental conservation, and community welfare. Under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto, the Ministry of Forestry continues to advance modern, transparent, and sustainable forestry governance. Through ASEAN cooperation, Indonesia seeks to strengthen regional collaboration to protect tropical forests, accelerate climate action, and generate tangible economic benefits for communities.
Meanwhile, Head of the Indonesian Delegation Dr. Ristianto Pribadi stated that the ASEAN forum serves as an important platform for strengthening technical cooperation while showcasing Indonesia’s innovative forestry policies to ASEAN member states and development partners.
Indonesia’s active participation in the 21st ASEAN Working Group on Forest Management reflects the Ministry of Forestry’s commitment to further strengthening the country’s position as one of the world’s leaders in tropical forest management and as a strategic partner in advancing sustainable forestry development across the ASEAN region.
