Jakarta, Indonesia – December 29, 2026

YAKOPI, represented by Executive Director Dr. Meilinda Suriani Harefa, together with officials from the North Sumatra Provincial Environmental and Forestry Agency (DLHK), held a coordination meeting with the Ministry of Environment (KLH) in Jakarta to discuss the continuation of North Sumatra’s Mangrove Ecosystem Protection and Management Plan (RPPEM).

The delegation included Mr. Sukendra Purba, S.P., M.Si., Head of Environmental Pollution and Degradation Control and Forest and Land Rehabilitation, and Mr. Jonas Purba, S.Hut., M.Si., Technical Policy Analyst. They were welcomed by Ms. Puji Iswari, S.Hut., M.Si., Director of Inland Aquatic Ecosystem Protection and Management, accompanied by Mr. Sandi Prasetyo, Head of the Mangrove Ecosystem Governance Working Group, and Ms. Zeezilia Yusuf, Junior Planner.

The meeting focused on completing Chapters IV–X of the RPPEM, following the completion of Chapters I–III with funding from the Ministry. Given the limited available budget, support from strategic partners, particularly organizations involved in mangrove restoration in North Sumatra, will be essential.Discussions also addressed extending the planning process into 2027 to accommodate public consultations across five designated Mangrove Landscape Units (KLM): Muara Hilir Besitang, Semenanjung Asahan Barumun, Pesisir Natal Tapanuli, Laguna Nias Selatan, and Laguna Nias Tano.

Dr. Meilinda Suriani Harefa reaffirmed YAKOPI’s commitment to supporting this collaborative initiative, emphasizing that the RPPEM must go beyond a planning document and serve as a practical framework for sustainable mangrove restoration, effective ecosystem management, and tangible benefits for coastal communities.The meeting marked an important step toward strengthening institutional partnerships and advancing inclusive, realistic, and long-term mangrove management in North Sumatra.