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On July 11th, the last day of her trip to Indonesia, Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the site of the German Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (GITEWS) in Jakarta to learn more about Germany’s ongoing scientific and technical cooperation with Indonesia. On this occasion, the Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT) presented the activities in German-Indonesian marine research, which are concentrated in the SPICE research programme (Science for the Protection of Indonesian Coastal Ecosystems). The Indonesian Minister and Deputy Minister for Research and Technology were also present.

During the Chancellor’s visit, biogeochemist Dr. Tim Jennerjahn of the ZMT presented the research activities of the bilateral SPICE programme, which has existed since 2003 and is coordinated by the ZMT. Together with his Indonesian research partner Professor Edy Yuwono, rector of the university in Purwokerto in Java, he pointed out the special ecological value and the biological diversity of Indonesian coastal ecosystems, which urgently need to be preserved. The ZMT and its Indonesian partners conduct research in this region with the goal of creating a scientific basis for the protection and sustainable use of coastal ecosystems. After the presentation, the Chancellor wished the scientists all the best for their further cooperative endeavours.

Following the visit of Chancellor Merkel, the two coordinators of the SPICE programme, Professor Hari Eko Irianto and Dr. Claudia Schultz, signed the bilateral framework agreements for the third phase of the project. The signing took place in the presence of the Deputy Minister for Research and Technology and the Secretary General of the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.

Contact

Dr. Claudia Schultz
Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology
Tel: 0421 / 23800 – 154
Email: claudia.schultzzmt-bremen.de