Jakarta, 08 August 2017 – Agriculture ministers and high-level government representatives from Fiji, Indonesia, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu are attending the Indonesia-Pacific Forum today at the Grand Hyatt, Jakarta, to discuss rural development gains and rural poverty challenges in the region.  International development experts and partners will also participate. The event is hosted by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Ministry for National Development Planning and the Ministry of Finance, Indonesia.

The forum will feature an IFAD-facilitated roundtable discussion to identify common development priorities and challenges, exchange best practices, and explore future partnerships. The following representatives will participate:

• Vele Pat Ila’ava, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Livestock, Papua New Guinea
• Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt Laauli, Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Samoa
• Tevita Lavemaau, Minister of Finance and National Planning, Tonga
• Seremaia Matai Nawalu, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity, Vanuatu
• Hari Priyono, Secretary General, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
• Eko Putro Sandjojo, Minister of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, Indonesia
• Inia Batikot Seruiratu, Minister of Agriculture, Fiji

“IFAD and Indonesia have a long history of engagement and we consider IFAD a key partner in achieving our development priorities, reaching the Sustainable Development Goals and boosting Indonesia’s role in international development,” said Bambang Brodjonegoro, Minister for National Development Planning, Indonesia.

Directors of IFAD-supported projects in the region will also discuss rural development strategies and share on-the-ground experience.

“Partnerships are at the heart of IFAD’s operations,” said Perin Saint Ange, Associate Vice-President, IFAD. “This forum provides an opportunity to build on partnerships and strengthen collaboration in the region. This is especially important for small island states, where rural communities face a number of similar challenges and risks, including limited access to markets and the increased impacts of a changing climate,” he added.

“We value our partnership with IFAD,” said Sri Mulyani, Minister of Finance, Indonesia. “We have increased our financial contribution to IFAD over the last decade and we intend to continue. In return, we expect IFAD to respond to our development needs.”

Following the forum, together with the government of Indonesia, IFAD will be inaugurating its Jakarta office, which serves as IFAD’s regional hub servicing Indonesia, the Pacific Countries, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. “We are very pleased that IFAD has chosen Indonesia as a location for this important office,” said Minister Brodjonegoro.

Since 1980, IFAD has extended loans to Indonesia for 16 programmes and projects totaling US$509.9 million and reaching over three million households.

Alert No: IFAD/12/2017

IFAD invests in rural people, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. Since 1978, we have provided US$18.5 billion in grants and low-interest loans to projects that have reached about 464 million people. IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency based in Rome – the UN’s food and agriculture hub.For more about IFAD, visit www.ifad.org.