The meeting of IUCN Evaluation mission was held at the office of the Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO from 09.00 to 11.30 am. The schedule of the meeting includes the remarks from the Executive Chairman Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO, remarks from the Chairman of the Indonesian Delegation and that from Malaysia and the Director of UNESCO, the presentation of IUCN Consultant and the concluding remark and recommendations from the Executive Chairman. The meeting was attended by Malaysian Delegation consists of six Officials, led by Dr. Dato’ Adi Taha, Director General of the Museum and Antiquity and the Indonesian Delegation from the Forestry Department, led by Dr. Ir. Tachrir Fathony, MSc, Secretary General of PHKA, Ministry of Forestry and other officials from various ministries as well as   WWF officials and some the staff of the Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO. UNESCO Office Jakarta was represented by Dr Han Qunli, Director a.i. and his staff.

The meeting was chaired by the Executive Chairman of the Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO, Dr. Arief Rachman, MPd. He started the meeting with an introduction of participants so that they know each other. He then requested each chairman of delegation to make a statement of confirmation for the nomination of trans-border WH site between Indonesia and Malaysia and their commitment towards it prior to the presentation of Mr. Geoff Vincent, IUCN consultant. He finally stated that he supported the nomination because it is not only benefiting the two countries but it will also benefit the whole human kind.

Remarks from the Indonesian Delegation:

He believed that the protection of the WH trans-border could not be done by a single country but it needed commitment from both countries as well as collaboration from other neighbouring countries since one country future resources are inextricably linked to the policies and actions of its neighbours. He further said that a joint "conservation vision" will help share the burden of protecting biodiversity and watersheds, and to identify and avoid potential problems before they become major problems.

In order to do this, there is a need to develop harmonized, coordinated and joint management planning and programmes to be develop for this specific purpose, which should include capacity building, wildlife and ecological management, appropriate infrastructure, strategic environmental assessment, public information, community awareness, promoting tourism and collaboration on law enforcement.
Finally, he informed the objectives of Indonesian National Plan on Forestry Strategies as follows:
·        Combating illegal logging
·        Revitalization of forest industry
·        Rehabilitation and conservation of forest resources
·        Community based economic development
·        Forest gazettment

Remarks from the Malaysian Delegation:

In his remarks, Dr. Dato’ Adi Taha, has stated that Malaysia is ready to have the commitment for this nomination because he has foreseen the benefit of it. Besides this, he also recommended that the following actions to be taken to further the trans-border WH cooperation, and called support from UNESCO and other interested partners of World Heritage Convention:

• Establishing a trans-border WH coordination mechanism as soon as possible, through consultation with other related authorities and stakeholders concerned.
• Developing a common management strategy and a cooperative management plan within a timeframe of two years and initial consultation be started in 2006.
• Improving exchange of data and information between the two authorities and increasing transparency over the cooperation, with clear and easy-to-use institutional and technical arrangements accepted by the two sides.
• Raising public awareness over the unique value of Borneo rainforest ecosystems and the present WH nomination through campaigns and public information sharing.
• Increasing the direct contact and dialog of the local counterparts over the conservation and management of the nominated WH sites.

We can conclude that both delegations agreed to have WH-trans-border nomination because they recognize the importance of the nomination where a large contiguous area will better safeguard biodiversity and maintain minimum viable populations of many species which cross administrative boundaries. Trans-boundary cooperation will certainly promote coordinated and cooperative activities, improve the ecosystem and bioregional management, improve staff morale, involve and benefit local people and will be a step towards funding sustainability.

Then Mr. Han Qunli, Director a.i. of UNESCO Office Jakarta make a remarks the need of to have a long and short term planning for presentation of the site, to improve and strengthen the management of the site by doing a collaborative work between the two countries and to have a collaboration with other international organizations. Also stated that the nomination of the heritage could be also used for strengthening peace, security and harmony of the site aside from promoting world tourism.

Then, Mr Geoff Vincent, IUCN consultant, made a presentation followed by the discussion. He raised eight issues in his presentation as follows: Further information; Trans-boundary cooperation; Buffer zones; Threats to integrity; Integration with local communities; Management capability; Stakeholder partnerships and Relationship to other initiatives. Each of the eight issues then was discussed in details. During the discussion the following issues were raised:

1. How to preserve the integrity of the trans-border WH-nomination.
2. How to use the nomination as a tool to benefit the local people.
3. How to improve the mechanisms of its management.
4. How to make public awareness on the importance and he values of
    the WH-nomination.
5. How to use the WH-nomination status to promote international
    cooperation and partnership through UNESCO, ITTO , WWF and
    other relevant International UN /organization.
6. How to use the WH-nomination status for the involvement of the
    local government and NGOs.

Finally, the Executive Chairman of the Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO concluded the meeting by delivering the following recommendations:    

• Establishing a trans-border WH coordination mechanism as soon as possible, through consultation with other related authorities and stake-holders concerned.
• Developing a common management strategy and a cooperative management plan within a timeframe of two years and initial consultation be started in 2006.
• Improving exchange of data and information between the two authorities and increasing transparency over the cooperation, with clear and easy-to-use institutional and technical arrangements accepted by the two sides.
• Raising public awareness over the unique value of Borneo rainforest ecosystems and the present WH nomination through campaigns and public information sharing.