Irfan Bakhtiar, Palladium’s Co-Director of the Multi-stakeholder Forestry Programme Phase 5 (MFP5), was recently awarded an Honorary Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of his services to UK-Indonesia relations on climate and nature. The honour was announced in early September by the UK Government as part of its 2026 honorary awards to foreign nationals.

The award recognises more than two decades of work advancing forest governance, community forestry, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable natural resource management in Indonesia. Throughout that time, Irfan has played a leading role in strengthening collaboration between Indonesian and UK institutions, helping to build partnerships that have contributed to significant environmental and governance reforms.

Indonesia has made significant progress in strengthening forest governance, expanding community forestry and improving controls on legal timber over the past two decades. By the end of 2023, nearly 10,000 social forestry permits had been issued, giving communities legal access to manage 6.4 million hectares of forest, according to the World Bank.

Indonesia also became the first country to issue FLEGT licences for verified legal timber exports; in the first year of licensing alone, it shipped more than €1 billion of verified legal timber and timber products to the European Union. UK-supported programmes, including MFP, have contributed to this progress by supporting Indonesia’s timber legality assurance system, community-based forest enterprises, policy dialogue and multi-stakeholder cooperation.

For Irfan, the recognition reflects the achievements of a much wider community.

"I do not see this honour as a personal achievement," he said. "I regard it as recognition of the collective work carried out through the institutions and programmes I have been privileged to be part of, including MFP, the Indonesia Biodiversity Foundation (Yayasan KEHATI), WWF-Indonesia, and the many UK-Indonesia collaborative initiatives we have worked on over the years."

"The progress we have seen has only been possible because of the commitment of civil society organisations, community groups, academics, government officials, private sector partners, and many dedicated colleagues. Their contribution has been fundamental to whatever success we have achieved."

Irfan's involvement with MFP spans multiple phases of the programme. Looking back, he identifies one of the programme's most enduring successes as support for community forestry rights in Indonesia.

"One of the moments that gave me the greatest sense of fulfilment was when a community forestry group in Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta, secured a 35-year permit to manage its forest," he said. "The foundations for that achievement were laid through work carried out by MFP and its partners years earlier. It demonstrated that strengthening community rights and local stewardship of forests could lead to tangible, lasting change."

In practice, this gives the community the legal right and responsibility to protect and restore the forest, use its resources sustainably and develop forest-based livelihoods under an agreed management plan.

He also pointed to Indonesia's landmark Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the European Union, signed in 2013, as a major milestone.

"Indonesia became the first country to conclude a VPA with the European Union," he said. "MFP supported the development of Indonesia's timber legality assurance system, known as SVLK, which verifies that timber has been legally harvested, processed and traded, and helped stakeholders prepare for its implementation. It showed how long-term cooperation, policy reform, and multi-stakeholder engagement can come together to produce internationally recognised results."

Today, MFP5 continues to build on that legacy. The programme supports the ongoing implementation and strengthening of SVLK and works closely with the Indonesian Government and partners to ensure the system remains responsive to evolving international policy and market requirements. It also supports implementation of the UK-Indonesia FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement, helping safeguard progress made over the past two decades while adapting to new challenges.

According to Irfan, the success of UK-Indonesia cooperation has been rooted in consistency and trust.

"What stands out to me is that the partnership has never been simply about funding," he said. "It has been a long-term commitment to strengthening institutions, supporting stakeholder engagement, and improving forest governance."

He noted that the relationship has continued to evolve, from addressing illegal logging and strengthening timber legality systems to supporting broader conservation efforts.

"Whether the issue is timber legality, forest governance, biodiversity conservation, or protecting endangered species, the partnership has consistently combined government commitment, technical cooperation, and engagement with communities," he said. "That long-term trust is perhaps the most important contribution of all."

More recently, UK-Indonesia cooperation has expanded to include initiatives such as efforts to protect the critically endangered Sumatran elephant in Aceh, bringing together governments, conservation organisations, communities, and private-sector partners to address habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict.

Looking ahead, Irfan hopes the recognition serves as a reminder that lasting environmental progress depends on collaboration.

"Successful cooperation on forests, nature, and climate depends on more than good policies or technical solutions," he said. "It requires mutual trust, mutual respect, and a genuine understanding of each other's expectations, limitations, and interests."

"I hope younger environmental leaders recognise that meaningful change is rarely achieved by one institution or one individual. It is built through collaboration and a willingness to remain engaged over the long term."

As MFP5 approaches the next stage of its work, Irfan says the team is focused on documenting the lessons and long-term impacts of earlier phases of the programme so future practitioners can build on what has been achieved.

"We are examining the initiatives that were developed, the champions who emerged, and the institutions that were strengthened through MFP's earlier phases," he said. "By capturing these lessons, we hope the legacy of UK-Indonesia cooperation can help inform even stronger outcomes for forests, nature, and climate in the future."

The honorary MBE is awarded to foreign nationals in recognition of exceptional service and contributions to British interests overseas. The award is a fitting recognition not only of Irfan's leadership, but also of the enduring strength of the UK-Indonesia partnership and the collective effort that continues to advance climate, forestry, and nature goals across the region.