VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The European Commission on Thursday proposed two action plans to address the deteriorating security situation following Russia's invasion of Ukraine to bolster cyber defence and to allow armed forces to move faster and better across borders.

"War is back to our borders and the Russia aggression against Ukraine is undermining peace and the international rule-based system globally," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told a news conference to announce the plans.

"It affects us and we have to adapt our defence policies to this new environment."

The Commission said Russian cyber attacks on European Union countries and their partners were a "wake-up" call. More action was needed to protect citizens and armed forces, and cooperation with NATO should be stepped up, it said.

The policy proposed would boost EU cyber defence capabilities and strengthen coordination and cooperation between the military and civilian cyber communities.

The initiative is part of a series of measures proposed by the European Commission in recent months to strengthen the bloc’s cybersecurity resilience amid a spate of cyberattacks on governments and businesses worldwide.

Last week EU cybersecurity agency ENISA said geopolitics such as the invasion of Ukraine has led to more damaging and widespread cybersecurity attacks in the EU in the year to July.

A separate Action Plan on Military Mobility proposed by the European Commission will help European armed forces to respond better, more rapidly and at sufficient scale to crises erupting at the EU's external borders and beyond.

It said this plan would help EU countries and their partners transport troops and equipment more efficiently, work towards "better connected and protected infrastructure" and reinforce cooperation with the U.S.-led defence alliance NATO. (Reuters)

Investment Minister and Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Head, Bahlil Lahadalia, stated that Indonesia's Presidency in the G20 offered an important momentum to boost investor confidence in Indonesia as an investment destination.

"We will use the G20 event as a measurable strategic momentum to convince investors, both from domestic and foreign countries, to continue believing that Indonesia is an investment destination," he stated at a press conference "Investment Continues to Grow to Support Economic Growth" in Jakarta, Thursday.

Lahadalia remarked that the rate of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) had continued to increase as well as Domestic Investment (PMDN) that showed promising growth on an annual basis due to the extraordinary trust in Indonesia.

Lahadalia remarked that this trust was also supported by President Joko Widodo's brilliant leadership, including those related to controlling COVID-19, economic recovery, and efforts to build ecosystems and economic stability.

"In my opinion, President Joko Widodo leads our country in an on-the-track position in the context of controlling the pandemic, economic recovery, as well as being able to take unconventional ways to build ecosystems and economic stability, especially related to the downstreaming industry," he noted.

At the G20 forum, the Indonesian government will focus on continuing to encourage economic transformation through downstreaming. The minister noted that downstreaming is not solely related to nickel.

According to Lahadalia, the nickel industry is a big experience for Indonesia to be able to increase the added value of national exports, on account of the fact that downstream nickel had increased national exports, from only US$3.3 billion in 2017 to US$20.9 billion in 2021.

"In 2022, we estimate it to reach US$27 billion to US$30 billion," he remarked.

He further stated that the four points had been agreed at the G20 ministerial level in the working group on trade, investment, and industry, especially the investment sector, will be included in the discussion at the G20's head-of-state level.

The four points are downstreaming and creating added value, collaboration with regional entrepreneurs and micro, small, medium enterprises (MSMEs), investment equity, and the Bali Compendium. (antaranews)

Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan confirmed that preparations were 100-percent complete for the upcoming G20 Summit in Bali on November 15-16.

"I believe we have reached 100-percent (completion). We are ready, and we will wait (for the G20 Summit). There are also General Sigit (Police Chief) and General Andika (TNI Commander), everything is ready," Pandjaitan stated after visiting the Bali Police Command Centre here, Thursday.

While visiting the Command Centre, the coordinating minister said that security arrangements had been finalized by the military and the police, and advanced technologies would be applied to maintain security at the G20 Summit.

"I see that the police and the military become the ones to secure the G20 Summit. While bolstering their professionalism, the police have also utilized newer technologies that could be linked with the military," he noted.

At the Command Centre, he assessed that the deployed police and military officers as well as non-uniformed security officers are ready to conduct their duties at their respective posts.

He said that with able officers and sophisticated technologies, Indonesia could showcase itself as a strong and modern country that could maintain security for the G20 Summit.

"We want to show that we are a great nation, a nation, which could manage everything on its own and is not a weak nation. We are a great nation that could resolve any issues by its own might," Pandjaitan affirmed.

Apart from the authority's readiness, support from regional authorities and the populace could bolster efforts in making the G20 Summit in Bali the best, he stated.

"I believe everything has been managed, regional authorities are working well, and penjors (decorated bamboo poles) have been installed everywhere. If I compare with other G20 summits, I believe that what we have done is one of the best, and perhaps, the best ever in the history of G20," the coordinating minister expounded.

Pandjaitan stated that Indonesia's G20 Presidency has also become a medium to prove that Indonesia implemented a successful leadership model to bridge the interests of G20 member states. (antaranews)

The Indonesian Law and Human Rights Ministry officially launched the electronic Visa on Arrival (e-VoA) application on molina.imigrasi.go.id to facilitate immigration services for foreign tourists visiting the country.

"The e-VoA policy, which is the innovation of the Directorate General of Immigration (of the ministry), is a very strategic policy," Acting Director General of Immigration at the ministry Widodo Ekatjahjana remarked in a statement on Thursday.

Implementation of the new policy is expected to make a concrete contribution to encouraging the visits of overseas tourists and business players to Indonesia.

The ease and promptness of this immigration service could bolster the enthusiasm of foreign nationals to come to Indonesia, thereby having a positive impact on the country's economy, the acting director general remarked.

Earlier, the directorate general had conducted a trial e-VoA application on November 4-9, 2022. The first overseas visitor, who used the service, had entered Indonesia through the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang City, Banten Province, on November 4, 2022.

"Thank God, now the e-VoA system can be (fully) enjoyed by foreign people, who want to come to Indonesia," Ekatjahjana noted.

With the new system, foreign visitors only need to make an account at molina.imigrasi.go.id and register their visa applications through the website.

Furthermore, they can immediately pay for the service online using a credit or debit card having a visa, Mastercard, or JCB logo.

After making the payment, their e-VoA applications will be verified by the officer. If the application is approved, the e-VoA document will be sent to the applicant’s account at the site.

In addition, the applicant can simply download the e-VoA that has been approved and show it at the immigration checkpoint while entering Indonesia.

"(With this new service), foreign visitors will no longer have to queue (up) at the VoA payment counter at the arrival terminal (in Indonesia). They also do not have to worry if they have not exchanged their money into rupiah or dollars (to pay for the service)," the acting director general added.

According to the website, this new service has been available for passport holders of 46 countries, including Australia, Austria, Argentina, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, and Morocco.

Passport holders of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Timor Leste, Tunisia, Turkiye, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States are also eligible to apply for the e-VoA. (Antaranews)