Jakarta (9/12) - Today WWF-Indonesia received a visit from the Rector and Vice Rector IV of the State University of Papua (UNIPA) at Graha Simatupang Building.

Taking advantage of this meeting, Dr. Efransjah (CEO of WWF-Indonesia) and Dr Suriel S. Mofu, SPd, MEd, MPhil (Rector of UNIPA) signed an extension of the memorandum of understanding between WWF-Indonesia and UNIPA, which was first signed last December 12, 2008. The partnership between WWF as a civil society organization and UNIPA as an academic institution aims to develop research programs and natural resource management based on the principles of sustainability.

In his speech, Dr. Efransjah said, "WWF is determined to continue this cooperation because UNIPA is one of the academic institutions in Papua that intensively uses empirical approaches in recording the wealth of biodiversity in Papua". Furthermore, he said, "WWF hopes that UNIPA will be able to become a center of excellence for the protection of biodiversity in Papua and through the scientific records carried out, UNIPA and WWF can provide input for scientific-based policy arrangements to the government."

On this occasion, Dr. Suriel S. Mofu, SPd, MEd, MPhil, stated "UNIPA is grateful to be able to always work together with WWF because WWF's workspace is very supportive of UNIPA as an academic institution that has a basic scientific pattern of agriculture and natural resource conservation". He continued, "The main task of WWF and UNIPA through this cooperation is the ability to produce a truth that is politically free and indisputable in the context of natural resource conservation in Papua".

At the end of this event, Dr. Efransjah handed over the book ""Proceedings of Exposure of Research Results of Universitas Negeri Papua and WWF Indonesia"" to Dr. Suriel S. Mofu, SPd, MEd, MPhil. This book is a summary of UNIPA's research with WWF Indonesia, which has been disseminated in 2011.