Posted on January, 26 2006

WWF welcomes the Chairman’s statement of the 11th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur which highlighted the importance of providing sanctuaries in the Heart of Borneo to conserve the island’s biological diversity and protect its water-catchments. Borneo – the world’s third largest island – is one of its richest treasure-houses, full of an immense variety of wild animals and plants. A single, vast, unbroken area of this forest still covers the highlands and adjacent foothills that stretch along the borders of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia. This area is known as the Heart of Borneo.

For tropical forests to be conserved permanently, very large areas must be maintained without being broken up into smaller blocks. There is only one place on the planet where sufficiently large areas of the Indo-Malay forests of Southeast Asia could be conserved on such a scale. This is the Heart of Borneo and there is still time to protect and manage it as one of the last bastions of Southeast Asian rainforest.

WWF-Malaysia’s President, Tan Sri Razali Ismail, pointed out that WWF is willing to assist the governments of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia in making plans to protect the existing forests in the area, and to manage them sustainably for the goods and services that they provide to the local communities, as well as to the economies of the three countries. “We share with others,” he said, “A vision for the Heart of Borneo in which investments and partnerships at all levels serve to ensure the effective management of a sustainable landscape, based on a network of protected areas, productive forests and other sustainable land-uses.” He pointed out that this has to be a major undertaking, involving technical and financial partnerships in the international community, including not only governments but also NGOs, and international aid agencies, adding that “WWF is actively encouraging private sector investment in sustainable, environmentally friendly endeavours that will benefit Borneo in the long-term.”

Kemal Stamboel, Chairman of WWF-Indonesia also complimented the ASEAN Heads of Government for their statement, commenting that, “With the backing of ASEAN, Borneo’s three governments can now make a joint declaration on their commitment to regional co-operation on sustainable development and biodiversity conservation for the Heart of Borneo. This will put the area on both the regional and international map as a site of transboundary collaboration.” He noted that with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) approaching in March next year this presented a unique opportunity to showcase the Heart of Borneo to the world’s governments, aid agencies and partner institutions. He added “Although the governments may wish to make a declaration event in Asia, this is a one-off opportunity to show the world that on Borneo there are three countries with one conservation vision”

NOTE:
The highest decision-making organ of ASEAN is the Meeting of the ASEAN Heads of State and Government. The ASEAN Summit is convened every year. The Chairman’s Statement is the official record of the meeting and is endorsed by the Heads of all the governments present.