VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

As many as 93 forestry and environment experts from various countries will attend the 3rd Asia Pacific Rainforest Summit (APRS) which will be held in Yogyakarta on April 23--23 to discuss progress in the implementation of Paris Agreement.

"Ninety three forestry and environment experts, including 41 from other countries will lead panel discussions and act as panelists. Nearly 950 participants from 39 countries in five continents have registered (with the organizing committee)," Secretary General of the Indonesian Forestry and Environment Ministry Bambang Hendroyono said in a press conference in Jakarta on Friday (April 20).

The APRS III themed Protecting Forest and Community, Supporting Economic Growth is different from the first meeting held in Sydney and the second meeting held in Brunei Darusssalam. The first and second APRS was very much coordinated by partners, while the third APRS is government driven, he said. 

Besides high level meetings attended by ministers and ambassadors, there will be eight sessions of parallel discussions. The parallel discussions will discuss restoration and sustainable management of peat land; financing, investment and trade in forestry sector; mangrove and blue carbon; social forestry policy; ecotourism and biodiversity conservation, production forest; and implementation of peat land restoration.

Director General of River Basin Area and Protected Forest Control I.B. Putera Parthama said the summit is important because it will serve as a forum for Asia and Pacific countries to harmonize cooperation steps and exchange experience in the management of forests. (antara)

Eka Wahyu Kasih, Chairman of the Indonesia Bridge Association (PBGABSI) said that Indonesia came out as the overall champion of the 22nd Asia Pacific Bridge Federation Youth held at Wisma Kinasih, Bogor, West Java, on 13 to 20 April, 2018. The association reported Indonesia won 3 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze medals defeating China, Chinese Taipeh, Hongkong China, Thailand, Australia and Philippines. Eka Wahyu Kasih in Jakarta, Saturday (21/4) expressed his appreciation for the support of all bridge communities of Indonesia, the media, sponsors, and the struggle of Indonesian bridge athletes, so that Indonesian bridge athlete is able to exceed the set target. According to him, the achievement shows the seriousness of Indonesia in developing Junior bridge athletes. U-26 Junior Team and U -26 Girls Indonesia will take part in the world championships in Wujiang, China, on August 8 to 18, 2018. He hopes, this tour's achievement will boost the spirit of the bridge team Asian Games Indonesia 2018. (release PBGABSi.21 04 2018.nrl/trans AHM)

Director of ASEAN Political and Security Cooperation of the Foreign Ministry, Chandra Widya Yudha, said Indonesia and ASEAN member countries will design cyber security cooperation for Southeast Asia. Chandra Widya Yudha in a press conference in Jakarta on Friday (April 20) explained that the draft cooperation is scheduled to be discussed in the 32nd ASEAN Summit to be held in Singapore on 27 and 28 April. One of the issues related to cyber security that will be raised at the meeting is personal data protection to respond to the scandal of exploitation and leak of personal data on Facebook and other issues on the security of other virtual worlds.

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“It is not limited to personal data protection. I mentioned earlier that this concerns the development of capacity and regional norms and also about activities or other cooperation related to politics and security. Still there is certainly about terrorism, transnational crime that uses cyberspace as a medium, about Facebook incident, related personal data, we also include elements of the need for such personal data protection within the scope of cooperation cyber security cooperation,” said Chandra Widya Yudha.

Chandra added that until now the ASEAN multilateral cooperation plan related with cyber security is still in the stages of discussion of norms and principles among leaders of ASEAN countries. It has not been concrete yet and has not touched non-government stakeholders. However, the norms and principles, manifested in the ASEAN Leaders Statement on Cyber security Cooperation Document, can be a more concrete cooperation framework in the future. (VOI/Rezha/AHM)

US Ambassador to Indonesia, Joseph Donovan, UK Ambassador to Indonesia, Moazzam Malik and French Ambassador to Indonesia, Jean-Charles Berthonnet met Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi at the Building of Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta more recently (April 19, 2018). The meeting discussed some issues; one of which is related to air raids in Douma, Syria, which is suspected of using chemical weapons. In the meeting, British Ambassador Moazzam Malik said that his side had asked Indonesia to join and follow up the use of chemical weapons allegedly committed by Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

“So, we welcome the statement by Indonesia and by Ibu Menlu that was released at the weekend setting up their position on this fact and the use of chemical weapons in Syria. But we invited Indonesia and the Indonesian authorities to go further. We would like them to join us in holding the Assad regime accountable for the misuse and the abuse of this convention and the use of the chemical weapons against Syrian Nationals. We would like them to join us and indeed the many people across the world, many countries across the world, in pressing Syria and its allies including Russia, to allow access for OPCW fact finding mission that is seeking access to Duma,” British Ambassador Moazzam Malik said

Ambassador Moazzam further said that Indonesia will soon become an executive member of Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons -OPCW in the near future. Thus, he wants Indonesia to play a major role in solving the chaotic use of chemical weapons in Syria. So far, the fact-finding team of OPCW has not carried out an independent investigation stage because they are banned to enter into Douma. (VOI/Rezha/RHM)