MESSAGE MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

It is my great pleasure and honor to warmly welcome you all to the ASEAN Environment Year 2003. I hope that this event will give us an opportunity to foster our efforts in implementing the Hanoi Plan of Action and to pursue ASEAN’s Vision for “a clean and green ASEAN with fully established mechanisms for sustainable development to ensure the protection of the region’s environment, the sustainability of its natural resources and the high quality of life of its people”. Various concerted efforts among ASEAN countries are already committed by the Members and ready for implementation.

It is also our common hope that activities within global and national agendas will also contribute to the success of the ASEAN Environment Year 2003. Especially, I would like to call for effective implementation of partnerships committed by various parties within the framework of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg 2002. As part of the WSSD Plan of Implementation agenda in Indonesia, we will conduct the Indonesian Summit on Sustainable Development (ISSD) in September 2003 in Bali to enhance effective implementation of sustainable development in Indonesia. Concurrently, we are also committed to internal strengthening, for example through intensive dialogues with parliament members, empowerment of public participation, good environmental governance, law enforcement and environmental quality monitoring program for better policy-making.

Finally, I welcome all of you to actively participate in the activities of ASEAN Environment Year 2003, in the culture of sharing and learning, and in the spirit of continuous improvements and mutual benefits for all involved parties and the people in our region. I wish you all the best in the ASEAN Environment Year 2003.

H.E. MR NABIEL MAKARIM, MPA, MSM
MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA