|
Follow-Up on the Timor-Leste Coconut Revitalisation Programme Plan
On April 5, 2022, Acting Director received a courtesy call from Okto Dorinus Manik, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Timor-Leste, at the office of the Non-Aligned Movement Center for South-South Technical Cooperation (NAM CSSTC).
Okto was accompanied to the meeting by Anti Kurnadi, Secretary I of the Economic Function of the Indonesian Embassy in Dili. In addition to the Indonesian Embassy, representatives from the International Coconut Community (ICC), including Assistant Director of Program Affairs Mridula Kottekate and financial staff Klaudio Hosang, were on hand to greet the Ambassador. The presence of ICC representatives is associated with their involvement in programme discussions in the coconut sector.
The quadrangular relationship between Indonesia, Timor-Leste, the NAM CSSTC, and the ICC has existed since 2020, when all parties were brought together in the ICC Ministerial Meeting activities, which are held annually.
NAM CSSTC is also involved in a Cooperation agreement with the ICC in the coconut sector to jointly develop coconut in each party's member countries, where both Indonesia and Timor-Leste are members of both NAM CSSTC and ICC.
Acting Director stated that the visit of the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Timor-Leste may provide an opportunity to follow up on the Timor-Leste coconut revitalization programme plan. This programme is NAM CSSTC's only Cooperation programme for Timor-Leste in 2022, and it is expected to assist Timor Leste's agriculture in overcoming the problem of old and unproductive coconut trees in their country.
Acting Director also expressed gratitude for the ICC and ICC's support in international fora, which indirectly contributed to NAM's increased active role in the coconut farming sector.
NAM CSSTC stated its intention to co-finance the coconut revitalization programme in Viqueque, which will be hosted by the Government of Timor-Leste.
In connection with programme activities, the ICC will investigate the possibility of bringing superior coconut seeds from its member countries. Alternatively, make the material for cultivating superior seeds one of the revitalization program's topics.
|
