Source : Borneo Bulletin, Brunei, 27 Oct '07
By : Borneo Bulletin
   

US$1.5 million, according the ADB Director Urooj Malik, will be for planning and preparing the activities to promote sound environmental management within the sub region, Bernama reported.

The conservation of biodiversity in the HoB project, for the economic and social benefits of the communities that live in the area, has always been the top priority for the initiative.

Talking to reporters after the BIMP-EAGA officials meeting in Davao, the ADB Director said that they have taken the first step to prepare a write-up on technical assistance for environmental conservation that takes about 18 months to complete. After that, ADB will provide financial assistance of about US$75 million to preserve the environment over the next 10 years.

Malik said the focus of the environmental conservation is the heart of Borneo island as well as the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea.

He said ADB, the regional adviser for BIMP-EAGA, is providing the financial assistance at the request of various members of the grouping.

"There is an urgency to introduce sound environmental management because development programmes will not meet their objectives if there is no consideration for the environment," he said.

"For example, virgin forests in the heart of Borneo including Sabah and Sarawak have shrunk by about 40 per cent and we need to do something to remedy the situation.

"In the case of the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea, we should preserve coral reefs for the spawning of tuna, thus avoiding depletion of tuna in the area."

Meanwhile, the Malaysia Senior Official for BIMP-EAGA, Noraini Ibrahim, said Malaysia is fully supportive of the efforts to promote BIMP-EAGA as a single tourism destination.