The German Committee for Economic Cooperation and Development of the German Parliament conducted a duty travel to Indonesia from 20th August until 26th August 2011. This travel which has been organized by the Federal Foreign Ministry of Germany and the German Embassy in Indonesia gave insights of the ongoing Programs of the German Development Cooperation and provided opportunities for steps to improve the bilateral cooperation between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Indonesia. The German Delegation consisted of the following members: MP Sabine Weiss and MP Jürgen Klimke from the German Conservative Party, CDU, Mr. MP Uwe Kekeritz from the Greens, Mr. Helga Daub from the German Liberal Party FDP, as well as Dr. Ferdinand Bitz from the Administration of the German Parliament. The chair of this delegation was the MP Dagmar Woehrl from the Conservative Party of the German State of Bavaria (CSU), who has strong relations to the Hanns Seidel Foundation in Munich and an important supporter of HSF activities all over the world.

Main cornerstones of the committee travel were the following:

• Impacts of Climate Change and Protection of the tropical rain forests. The delegation had the opportunity to visit the City of Balikpapan in East Kalimantan to get an overview on the degree of the deforestation and destruction of natural habitats. On the other hand they visited community-based activities in this area, such as establishment of local cooperatives, women associations and basic public services at village level. These measures aim to combine efforts for efficient forest protection and sustainable community development which can be achieved only under preservation of the natural environment.
• Support for efficient Public Transportation in the Metropolitan Area of Jakarta. Regarding that the Delegation witnessed the handover of two railcars financed by the German Government to the Authorities of Jakarta Province.
• Assistance at educational and vocational training programs for the qualification of young lecturers at Indonesian Universities through a new Debt Swap Deal with Indonesia.
• Working Visit of a German Initiative to enhance the capacities of the ASEAN Secretariat and conduct of a roundtable discussion with the Indonesian Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources towards the sustainable use of renewable energies.

Beside this official program, the Hanns Seidel Foundation organized a more informal dinner with the former President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Dr. B. J. Habibie in his Residence. The members of the delegations had the opportunity, to get first-hand information on the transformation process of Indonesia from an authoritarian regime to democratic structures. Furthermore Prof. Habibie explained the significance of technology-based enterprises for the national development and his efforts to strengthen the bilateral cooperation between Germany and Indonesia. All the members of the delegation were impressed of the charismatic style of the former president and the Head of the Committee, Mrs. Dagmar Woehrl, expressed her deepest gratitude to him and her hope to maintain good relation with him. She also used all this opportunity to arrange her trip at the next day. Due to the fact that Mrs. Woehrl is President of the Society of the Protection of Animals in the cities of Nürnberg-Fürth, she showed interest to receive detailed information on endangered animals in Indonesia and efforts of their protection.