Brunei, Japan sign bio-research pact

TECHNICAL cooperation between Brunei and Japan under the Heart of Borneo (HoB) initiative is set to provide both parties with a platform for technical transfer, information exchange and benefit sharing through research and development.

The cooperation, in line with the national and international legal framework such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), will also further increase the effectiveness of forest micro-organisms and genetic resources conservation strategies as well as encourage the sustainable utilisation of forest micro-organisms in Brunei.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the HoB Project between the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR) and the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) was signed at the Empire Hotel and Country Club yesterday formalising the proposed five year bilateral technical cooperation.

The signing of the agreement allows for both parties to cooperate in the exploration of microbial resources under the HoB project and initiate joint research and development work on forest micro-organisms including microbial resources in Brunei's rainforests.

Aimed at building the national capacity in the priority area through joint research and development, the agreement will pave the way to a sustainable use of biological resources abundant in the rich tropical rainforests of Brunei.

The five-year project will also see the involvement of students from Universiti Brunei Darussalam, who will be groomed to become future scientists in the field of micro-organisims.

The cooperation with NITE is part of MIPR's strategy to capitalise on the economic potential of Brunei's forest resources and to initiate environmentally-sound development of bioceutical forest-based products such as medicine, herbal products, healthy food and drink amongst many others.

The ministry through its Forestry Department will act as the implementing national agency to carry out the projects and activities under the MoU and will be responsible for developing the country's capacity and human resources in this particular field.

The bilateral technical cooperation was formalised yesterday with a signing of the agreement by Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abdul Wahab, Deputy Minister of MIPR and the incumbent chairman of the HoB National Council and NITE President Dr Makato Misono.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Pehin Orang Kaya Setia Pahlawan Dato Seri Dr Hj Ahmad Hj Jumat, Minister of MIPR, and Hashimoto Itsuo, the Ambassador of Japan to Brunei who witnessed on behalf of the Japanese Government.

The signing ceremony was also attended by various senior government officials, foreign ambassadors and HoB representatives.

The Brunei Times