RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia has assured that its coral reef conservation program under the Tropical Forest and Coral Reef Conservation Act (TFCCA) will continue unaffected, despite sweeping cuts to U.S. foreign aid under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Director of Marine Conservation and Biodiversity at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Firdaus Agung Kurniawan, emphasized that the TFCCA program is legally mandated and backed by a bilateral agreement valued at USD 35 million.

“In shaa Allah, it will not be affected, because this has been established by law. The bilateral commitment has already been signed and agreed upon at USD 35 million,” Firdaus said during the TFCCA launch press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

He noted that the funding is further strengthened by contributions from partner NGOs, including Conservation International (CI), Konservasi Indonesia (KI), Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN), and The Nature Conservancy (TNC). 

“This is a joint commitment between the two governments and the NGOs, as well as between the NGOs and the Indonesian government,” he added.

The TFCCA program in Indonesia was officially launched in partnership with the United States as a debt-for-nature swap scheme to support coral reef conservation. First announced in July 2024, the agreement redirects debt payments into conservation grants aimed at preserving biodiversity in partner countries.

Total funding amounts to USD 35 million (around IDR 588 billion), including USD 3 million from CI and KI, and USD 1.5 million from TNC and YKAN. Firdaus highlighted that Indonesia is the first country in the world to implement TFCCA specifically for coral reefs, making it both the largest initiative of its kind and a benchmark for future programs elsewhere.

Grant recipients include local communities, indigenous groups, NGOs, and accredited Indonesian universities engaged in coral reef conservation. To mark the program’s launch, seven representatives signed grant agreements on Tuesday.

The first TFCCA cycle will focus on three biodiversity-rich seascapes: Kepala Burung in West Papua, Sunda Kecil (Bali, NTB, NTT), and Banda in Maluku. A total of 58 local organizations and initiatives have been selected to carry out the program.

The launch comes against the backdrop of Trump’s second-term policy shift, which has drastically reduced foreign aid budgets since January 2025. The cuts include the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), long regarded as a cornerstone of global development and humanitarian programs.

These measures form part of the administration’s America First agenda, prioritizing domestic interests. Beyond budget reductions, the policy package has involved freezing funds, reviewing international aid programs, withdrawing from several global organizations, and slashing the State Department’s budget. ***