Norway’s Minister of International Development, Åsmund Grøver Aukrust, visited Indonesia from February 11–13, following a prior trip to Vietnam, to hold high-level discussions in Jakarta on climate, development financing, and multilateral cooperation. Ahead of the visit, Norway’s Ministry of International Development highlighted that Aukrust would engage with Indonesian authorities and civil society on international cooperation, development policy, and innovative financing models, reflecting the countries’ broad and long-term partnership. Aukrust emphasized the importance of strengthening international partnerships in a rapidly changing development landscape, citing Indonesia’s demographic significance and shared climate and environmental priorities.
During bilateral talks on February 12, Aukrust met with Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Sugiono, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable development, multilateralism, and global peace, including continued cooperation on the Israel-Palestine issue. Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscored the strategic value of the Indonesia-Norway relationship, noting collaboration on climate, forest management, and UN reforms as key areas of partnership.
Aukrust also met with Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni to discuss emissions reduction cooperation and community-based environmental financing. The two countries launched discussions on the fifth phase of their results-based contribution carbon emission reduction initiative (RBC-5), with Indonesia aligning its data verification processes with ART-TREES standards to support the 2030 Forestry and Other Land Use (FOLU) Net Sink target. Aukrust described the partnership on reforestation and emissions reduction as long-standing and expected it to strengthen further.
Indonesia has benefited from multiple results-based payments under the bilateral climate partnership, receiving USD 56 million under RBC-1 for reducing 11.2 million tons of CO₂ equivalent during 2016–2017, USD 100 million under RBC-2 and RBC-3 for 20 million tons cut between 2017–2019, and USD 60 million under RBC-4 for reductions achieved in 2019–2020. These payments are part of an ongoing mechanism to support measurable emissions reductions.
The ministers also launched the fourth phase of the Community Fund for the Environment, allocating Rp7 billion to support Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030 target. The fund assists local NGOs, indigenous groups, universities, and other stakeholders through Indonesia’s Environmental Fund Management Agency (BPDLH). Over the previous three phases, Rp19.31 billion was disbursed to 561 community groups across 36 provinces, benefiting more than 31,000 recipients. The fourth phase invites proposals under three themes: FOLU Goes to School, FOLU Terra, and FOLU Biodiversity, aimed at engaging youth, improving community welfare, and conserving biodiversity, respectively.
The visit reinforced broader Norway-Indonesia cooperation spanning climate, environment, and development policy. Both countries framed the Jakarta meetings as part of ongoing bilateral engagement on sustainable development, forest governance, and multilateral cooperation, highlighting a commitment to strengthening partnerships amid shifts in the global development landscape.
