Ms. Shinta Kamdani of KADIN, Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Representatives of the IPOP Signatories, Distinguished Guests,
I am delighted to be here today to witness this signing between PSL and USAID.
The signing of the Indonesian Palm Oil Pledge at the United Nations Climate Summit in September 2014 represented a significant private sector-led change and milestone in the Indonesian palm oil sector. We congratulate the companies and KADIN for their leadership in making this possible.
The initial four – and now five – companies that agreed to partner together and with KADIN to transform the way palm oil is produced and traded in Indonesia is a major feat in and of itself.
But that signing was merely the first step in a long transformation process. Through the signing of this MOU, the U.S. Government is proud to support the implementation of the IPOP pledge.
We also welcome the continued support of our partners from civil society, the private sector and importantly, the Government of Indonesia.
Together with the partners in this room, we will demonstrate that sustainable palm oil can secure long-term employment and increase incomes for smallholders while protecting the natural environment and the communities that live in and around the forests.
Congratulations to KADIN, the member companies and the PSL team for their tireless efforts to move IPOP forward. The U.S. Embassy remains ready to support your hard work.
As prepared.
