Jayapura — Finnish Ambassador to Indonesia, H.E. Jukka H. Pekka Kaihilahti, made an official visit to Jayapura Regency, Papua Province, to discuss strategic cooperation in the field of the environment, especially forest protection and waste management. The visit was also accompanied by representatives from WWF Papua and was warmly welcomed by the Jayapura Regency Government in the courtyard of the Regent’s Office, Gunung Merah, Sentani, Thursday (19/6).
The presence of Ambassador Kaihilahti was greeted directly by Jayapura Regent Yunus Wonda, Deputy Regent Haris Richard Yockhu, Head of TP-PKK Jayapura Regency Dewi S. Wonda, as well as local officials and community leaders. The welcome was also enlivened with traditional dance performances as a form of respect for state guests.
In his speech, Jayapura Regent Yunus Wonda revealed that this visit is an important moment to build a bridge of cooperation between Papua and Finland, especially because both have similarities in geographical conditions and forest wealth.
“Papua and Finland both have incredible natural wealth, especially forests. We welcome this cooperation initiative, especially in the fields of forest protection, waste management, and education,” said Yunus Wonda.
Ambassador Kaihilahti in his statement said that Finland has long established good relations with Indonesia in various sectors, and Papua has become a strategic area in strengthening bilateral cooperation, especially those oriented towards environmental sustainability.
“Finland and Indonesia have a lot of cooperation, and we believe that Papua is an important partner in maintaining nature conservation. We want to share experiences, especially in building public awareness about waste management from home,” said Kaihilahti.
He explained that in his country, the waste management system has been around for a long time with a participatory approach. Household waste is sorted from the beginning into organic, non-organic, and plastic waste, and processed with a system that supports a sustainable environment.
This meeting also became the beginning of further exploration on the possibility of knowledge transfer and environmental management technology, including plans to increase community capacity through training and educational programs.
The Jayapura Regency Government welcomes this cooperation opportunity, with the hope that it can help accelerate environmental conservation efforts in the area which is currently facing serious challenges related to forest destruction and waste management.
The visit of the Finnish Ambassador is expected to not only strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two countries, but also strengthen the global commitment to protecting the earth through real action at the local level.
