The Malaysian government has unveiled plans to introduce “orangutan diplomacy” in its relations with major palm oil-importing countries, offering the endangered animals as trading gifts in an effort to allay concerns about the environmental impact of palm oil production.
Plantations and Commodities Minister Johari Abdul Ghani said Malaysia would offer gifts of orangutans to trading partners, particularly major importers such as the European Union, India, and China, as part of a diplomatic strategy. The minister stated that this move would “prove to the global community that Malaysia is committed to biodiversity conservation.”
The proposal is likened to China’s “panda diplomacy,” where the country has used the iconic giant pandas as diplomatic gifts to strengthen international relations. However, the plan has prompted concerns among wildlife advocacy groups, who have called on the government to consider alternative measures to protect the orangutan’s habitat and improve the sustainable production of palm oil.
The orangutan, whose name means “man of the forest” in Malay, is a critically endangered species, with a population of less than 105,000 on the island of Borneo, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
WWF Malaysia has urged the government to set aside wildlife corridors in palm oil estates that are safe for orangutans and to outlaw the further conversion of forests into plantations. The group also expressed concerns about the potential impact of the “orangutan diplomacy” plan on efforts to increase existing ape populations.
Another advocacy group, Justice for Wildlife Malaysia, said the government should consider alternative diplomatic measures and called for more research on the plan’s potential impact and feasibility against other conservation efforts.
The proposal comes after the European Union last year approved an import ban on commodities linked to deforestation, which could potentially impact Malaysia’s palm oil exports. The Malaysian government has described the EU law as discriminatory and is now exploring diplomatic strategies, such as the “orangutan diplomacy,” to address the concerns around the environmental effects of palm oil production.