VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta: Indonesia strives to preserve the nation’s downstreaming policy despite the dispute over its nickel ore export ban, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said on Tuesday.

The executive directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have asked Indonesia to consider phasing out export restrictions and not extending the restrictions to other commodities.

In a statement released on June 25, 2023, IMF said it welcomed Indonesia’s ambitions to increase value added in exports, attract foreign direct investment, and support the transfer of skills and technology.

However, the agency also noted that policies should be informed by further cost-benefit analysis and designed to minimize cross-border spillovers.

The European Union (EU) had earlier filed a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against Indonesia's policy banning nickel ore exports, starting early 2020.

The WTO's dispute settlement body announced that Indonesia had violated the regulations.

"We will continue to appeal (the WTO ruling against the nickel ore export ban)," Hartarto told mediapersons in Jakarta.

He added that Indonesia's efforts to appeal the WTO ruling will not only seek to strive for the nation's right to downstream, but also to liberate Indonesia from new types of colonialism.

According to him, the IMF's recommendation to continue nickel exports is a form of "imperialism," adding that no country should force their will on other countries.

He emphasized that he will continue to defend Indonesia's right to obtain added value from commodities and phase out nickel exports. (antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesia's marine economy has a lot of room to grow and the country could become a high-income country in the next few years, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut B. Pandjaitan has said.

According to Pandjaitan, in 2045, the contribution of the marine sector to the national economy would rise by twofold and continue to grow.

At the opening of the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum here on Tuesday, he said that given the current trend, he believes that Indonesia would become a high-income country in 10 years.

If this continues, within the next three decades, Indonesia could become a developed country, he added.

One of the marine results that can be developed is seaweed cultivation, which is being pursued in Buleleng, Bali, he informed.

The development of seaweed is important because it can serve as a biofuel, fertilizer, and food. It can also clean the sea and capture carbon emissions.

Moreover, Indonesia has more than 200 seaweed species, but only three species are currently being developed.

According to Pandjaitan, this is where entrepreneurs in the marine and maritime sector can play an important role.

This is because they can act as the main drivers of economic growth in the blue sector, create new jobs, and contribute to the income and prosperity of shoreline residents.

In addition, to achieve that goal, a conducive system for innovation and investment in the blue sector needs to be created.

Meanwhile, one of the main topics discussed at the AIS Forum was plastic waste in the sea. Pandjaitan said that within the next 3 years, Indonesia will process almost 30 thousand tons of waste per day.

According to the minister, this is an extraordinary step from Indonesia to remove plastic waste entering the sea.

This will put Indonesia at the forefront of sea clean-up efforts. So far, the country has managed to reduce the volume of plastic waste entering the sea by 27 percent, he informed.

In addition, 600 thousand hectares of mangroves are also being restored and 400 thousand hectares of them have already been replanted.

This serves as a good example for fellow island states, especially countries in the Pacific that may be affected by the 1.5 degrees rise in the earth’s temperature, which has caused the sea level to rise.  (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Three Indonesian provinces are ready to serve as national models for low-carbon development through the implementation of the International Climate Initiative-Peat and Mangrove Ecosystems (IKI-PME) project, the National Development Planning (PPN) Ministry has said.

The provinces are North Sumatra, West Papua, and Southwest Papua, Director for Forestry and Water Resources at the PPN Ministry Nur Hygiawati Rahayu said here on Tuesday.

"The IKI-PME project supports the government's agenda and achievements on low carbon development, climate resilience development, and sustainable development goals (SDGs), she said.

According to the Environment and Forestry Ministry, North Sumatra has around 38,205 hectares of mangroves and 526,701 hectares of peat.

Meanwhile, West Papua and Southwest Papua have 957,826 hectares of peat; 9,120 hectares of mangroves; as well as 332,407 hectares of peat associated with mangroves.

The implementation of the IKI-PME project has supported the effective management, better preservation, and sustainable use of 742,234 hectares of peat and mangrove ecosystems.

The project helped to strengthen the regional government’s policy in the West Papua Provincial Forestry Plan as well as carry out patrol activities using Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tools (SMART).

It also completed the peat restoration program in South Tapanuli District, North Sumatra Province.

In addition, IKI-PME Project trained the community living around mangrove and peat ecosystems in repairing and maintaining ketinting – a long traditional boat – engines and fishing nets, as well as identifying and monitoring potential natural resources.

It also trained the people in carrying out product diversification through fish and duck farming as well as making citronella oil and compost.

"We hope that the success of the IKI-PME project (in the three provinces) can later be emulated by other provinces and contribute to the Indonesian government's climate change mitigation and adaptation attempts," Rahayu said.

The project was led by Konservasi Indonesia, a sustainable development and environmental conservation organization, in collaboration with Wetlands International Indonesia (YLBA) as well as the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).

Senior Vice President and Executive Chair of Konservasi Indonesia Meizani Irmadhiany said her party had also established strategic coordination with PPN Ministry to draft the national strategy document on peat and mangrove ecosystems launched in February 2023.

Meanwhile, Program Coordinator for Wetlands Restoration and Community Development at the YLBA Eko Budi Priyanto said that the IKI-PME project had also involved collaboration with the local community in implementing paludiculture -- the use of peatland for agriculture – on a 200-hectare area.  (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesia's Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing has assured that stadiums that were previously prepared for the U-20 World Cup are ready and can be used for the U-17 World Cup.

Indonesia is scheduled to host the U-17 World Cup from November 10 to December 2, 2023.

"If they (stadiums) are to be used, they are very ready. We have handed over the management (of the stadiums) and provided training to field managers," Director of Strategic Infrastructure at the ministry's Directorate General of Human Settlements Essy Asiah said here on Tuesday.

She noted that earlier, for the U-20 World Cup--in which Indonesia was removed as the host--FIFA had conducted the last inspection of all stadiums and expressed delight at the conditions of stadiums in Indonesia.

"It was because those stadiums have met the standards set by FIFA," she added.

Regardless, Asiah said shestill did not yet know which stadiums would be used for the U-17 World Cup matches and training.

"Stadiums that were previously planned to be used for the U-20 World Cup are ready for the implementation of the U-17 World Cup because they have been prepared maximally to be used to support international events," she highlighted.

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing was previously tasked with preparing 25 stadiums for the U-20 World Cup. The 25 stadiums comprised 5 stadiums for matches and 20 stadiums for training purposes.

However, FIFA then announced its decision to remove Indonesia as the U-20 World Cup host.

Last April, Peru was stripped of hosting the U-17 World Cup due to uncertainty over the South American country's infrastructure conditions. Peru was named as host of the competition in 2019.

A FIFA Council meeting on Friday (June 23, 2023) in Zurich, Switzerland, determined that Indonesia would host the U-17 World Cup.  (Antaranews)