VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Indonesia Valiollah Mohammadi on Tuesday in Jakarta encouraged the enhancement of cooperative relations between Indonesia and Iran through the cultural sector. It was delivered when he officially opened the Iran Cultural Festival in Jakarta. The Iranian Cultural Festival is held for 3 (three) days from 26 to 28 June 2018. Ambassador Valiollah Mohammadi hopes that the Iranian Cultural Festival can be a means of enhancing good relations between Indonesia and Iran through cultural channels.

“With the goal of developing cultural relations and mutual understanding between the two countries and hopes that the Iranian arts can be useful as a bridge in creating more cultural understanding and strengthening friendship between the two brotherly and Muslim nations of Iran and Indonesia,” said Valiollah Mohammadi.

During the 2018 Iran Cultural Festival, visitors can learn Iranian culture through new ways, namely the screening of Iranian films and mini exhibitions of typical Iranian carpets and crafts. The 2018 Iranian Culture Festival features a screening of 3 (three) films entitled Bodyguard, Crazy Castle and Where Are My Shoes. All three are films that have won numerous International awards. Meanwhile, the exhibition of carpets and handicrafts or Iran can be visited from June 20, 2018 to June 30, 2018. The carpets and handicrafts consist of various Iranian shades, fabrics and artwork. (VOI/ndy/DP)

Indonesian Trade Ministry held trade mission to several countries in the world to raise Indonesia’s export value and food commodities. Director General of National Export of Indonesian Trade Ministry, Arlinda said on the side line of the social gathering in Jakarta recently that the Indonesian trade mission has achieved great success in Egypt.

“Egypt has big potential of black coffee lover. So when we had a trade mission to Egypt there are about 175 million US Dollar which is 80percent spent for coffee.  For food and beverages the tariff is so high in Egypt but the country affected zero tariff for Coffee and palm oil.  Our market is remarkable there especially for coffee and palm oil,” said Arlinda.

Arlinda added that on the next trade mission they will go to Kenya that has great potential to Indonesia in promoting food commodity. The Trade Ministry also begin to penetrate Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Turkey markets whereas food commodity will be promoted continuously to increase Indonesia’s export value. (VOI/NK/NT)

Japan as one of Indonesian strategic partners has made effort to increase its investment value in Indonesia. Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister, Retno Marsudi, after bilateral meeting with Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister, Taro Kono, in Jakarta on Monday (25/6) said one of the efforts, is to make Indonesia as production basisor a place for Japanese manufacturing products which are addressed to the third market including ASEAN member countries.

“On investment, Japan investment in Indonesia reached US Dollar 5 billion in 2017, also the second biggest investor in Indonesia in 2017. Our discussion today, therefore stressed on how to further strengthen this positive momentum, working toward making Indonesia as the production base for Japanese manufacturing products for the third market, including ASEAN,” said Taro Kono.

Minister Retno Marsudi further said that to implement the desire, negotiation of the Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement must be resolved immediately for mutual benefit cooperation for the two countries will run on time, where the two countries celebrate the 60th Indonesia-Japan  diplomatic relations. Japan is the second biggest investor in Indonesia with its investment worth 5 billion US dollars in 2017. The total value of trade between the two countries rose 13.54 percent compared to 2016. (VOI/Rezha/trs.Yati/NT)

In the 6th Strategic Dialogue Meeting, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi and Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister  Taro Kono agreed to increase maritime and fishery cooperation among the two countries. Minister Taro Kono stated in a press conference in Jakarta on Monday (25/6) that the cooperation has important and very strategic meaning for the two countries with a concept of maritime development they have. The two ministers also agreed the cooperation of Integrated Marine and Fisheries Centers and Fish Market on the Indonesian outer islands. 

“We will increase our maritime cooperation. This is very meaningful for the strategies of both countries, namely Japan Free and Open Indo Pacific strategy and Indonesia as Global Maritime Fulcrum. We have just completed the signing of the exchange of notes on a program for the development of fisheries sector in outer islands. Japan will continue to implement of development of outer islands as agreed in September last year,” said Taro Kono.

Minister Taro Kono also added that he and his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi have agreed synergy between the concept of Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy  of Japan and Indo-Pacific which was initiated by Indonesia through regional mechanism such as ASEAN, and East Asian Summit (EAS) in the Pacific region and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in the circle of the Indian Ocean. Meanwhile, for cooperation of Integrated Marine and Fisheries Centers and Fish Market, the Japanese government in the near future plans to build six fishery centers on six Indonesian outer islands, namely Biak, Moa, Morotai, Natuna, Sabang, and Saumlaki. (VOI/Rezha/trs.Yati/NT)