Dutch minister visits Kalimantan to discuss deforestration, peatland and forest fires

"Kalimantan has serious problems related with deforestation, peat lands and forest fires, and thus we have offered our cooperation assistance to deal with them," Koenders said after being given a traditional welcome here.

Accompanied by a 16-member delegation, Koenders said he would continue to monitor developments in the solution of the forestry problem in Central Kalimantan.

The Dutch minister was visting Central Kalimantan on his way to Bali to attend the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference.

Forest and peat lands in Kalimantan, according to Koenders, were not only important for Indonesia but also for the rest of the world, and therefore they had to be managed well.

He said the Dutch government had extended financial assistance of around 2 million euro for a master plan to manage one-million hectares of peat land to prevent floods and forest fires.