VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni discussed several forms of cooperation and Italy's investment in Indonesia at a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in India on Sunday.

In the investment sector, President Jokowi welcomed the increase in Italy's investment in Indonesia.

"I welcome the increase in Italy's investment and the inauguration of Piaggio's (an Italian motorcycle manufacturer) factory last year," he said in a written statement issued by the Press, Media, and Information Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat.

On that occasion, the president also expressed appreciation for Italy's commitment to the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) scheme.

Italy is one of the countries that agreed on the JETP on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Indonesia last year. In the JETP, there is a funding commitment of US$20 billion for the development of a sustainable economy in Indonesia.

"I hope the commitment can be implemented as soon as possible because the support from the mobilization of funding is an important element in the energy transition," the president remarked.

Apart from that, he also invited Italy to participate in the development of the electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure in Indonesia, green infrastructure, and the development of the new capital city of Nusantara.

At the meeting, which lasted for around 20 minutes, President Jokowi also asked for Meloni's support for Indonesia's application to become a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

On that occasion, Jokowi was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan, and State Secretary Minister Pratikno. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - The Industrial Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDMI) of the Indonesian Industry Ministry signed a collaboration agreement with the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) from South Korea to strengthen digital transformation cooperation.

The ministry's Head of the Industrial Human Resources Education and Training Center, Arnes Lukman, conveyed that the cooperation program is in the form of information exchange, promotion of business and technology exchange, transfer of knowledge, including sending experts, and encouraging digital transformation in the manufacturing industry.

Followed by encouraging the use of information and computer technology (ICT) in educational units and conducting seminars, workshops, and joint events in fields of mutual interest, he added.

"This collaboration can generate many benefits for us. After the collaboration signing, we hope we can immediately discuss plans to implement activities together," Lukman noted in a statement on Sunday.

NIPA is a South Korean government organization under the National Research Council (NRC), which oversees the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) of South Korea.

Lukman informed me that previously, the ministry had collaborated with STEPI in five sectors, including electric vehicles, digital transformation, digital start-ups, smart factories, and augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

For now, this current collaboration with NIPA is the implementation of the digital transformation, he added.

According to him, NIPA also seeks to increase the use of information and communication technology to contribute to increasing economic growth.

"We hope that NIPA can connect industries in Indonesia and Korea to carry out digital transformation," NIPA President Hur Sung-Wook said.

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Indonesia and the Republic of Korea will enter their 50th anniversary year in 2023. Bilateral relations between Indonesia and South Korea are getting closer and showing a lot of increased cooperation.

Through the "Republic of Korea-Republic of Indonesia Joint Vision Statement for Co-Prosperity and Peace," leaders of the two countries agreed to upgrade the status of the partnership to a special strategic partnership.

Currently, South Korea is ranked seventh in investment realization in Indonesia in the January–September 2022 period, reaching US$1.66 billion with a total of 4,016 projects. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesia, representing developing countries, invited G20 member countries to collaborate in strengthening the world order and preserving the earth as a habitat for human life and its supporting ecosystems at the G20 Summit in India on Saturday. According to an official statement on Saturday, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) highlighted two approaches at the meeting, namely the acceleration of the transition towards a low-carbon economy and innovative financing for handling climate change.

This invitation was made on account of the worsening condition of the earth, with the threats of energy crises, environmental crises, and global climate change.

A record temperature of 52.2 Celsius has been recorded in the Asian region and is predicted to continue to rise in the next five years.

President Jokowi's appeal was based on the concern of developing countries regarding the commitment of developed countries to mobilize US$100 billion in climate finance per year as well as the loss and damage funding facility for developing countries that has not materialized.

Indonesia has continued to advance lead-by-example practices in the context of G20 cooperation.

In terms of carbon emission reduction, Indonesia succeeded in reducing 54.8 million tons of carbon emissions in 2019 and 91.5 million tons in 2022.

In line with this, Indonesia has also increased the targets to cut emissions with its own efforts to 31.89 percent and with international support to 43.2 percent.

The G20 Summit was held at the Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition and Convention Centre, New Delhi, India, on September 9–10, 2023, under India's G20 presidency.

There were three sessions at the summit, namely Session One: One Earth, Session Two: One Family, and Session Three: One Future. (Antaranews)

Leaders of the Group of 20 major economies began arriving in New Delhi on Friday for their annual gathering as negotiators struggled to bridge differences over the war in Ukraine, seeking to build consensus for a successful summit host India wants.

Slums, monkeys and stray dogs have been removed from the streets of the Indian capital and businesses, offices and schools were closed in the central business and government district as part of security measures to ensure the two-day summit runs smoothly.

But the gathering risks being derailed by deeper and more entrenched divisions over Russia's war, hurting progress on issues such as food security, debt distress and cooperation on climate change.

It is also expected to be dominated by the West and its allies. Chinese President Xi Jinping is skipping the meeting and sending Premier Li Qiang instead, while Russia's Vladimir Putin will also be absent.

The summit will still be the most high-powered gathering ever in India with U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Bin Salman and Japan's Fumio Kishida, among others, confirming participation.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "call out" Russia over its invasion and use its clout to help end the war, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.

The hardened stance on the war has prevented agreement on even a single communique at the ministerial meetings during India's G20 presidency so far this year, leaving it to the leaders to find a way around, if possible.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who is in New Delhi ahead of Biden's arrival on Friday, said Washington is willing to work with India to help craft a communique at the end of the summit but it would be a challenge.

"So I understand that this is challenging to craft such language, but I know the negotiators are discussing it, and working hard to do so and we stand ready certainly to work with India to try to craft communique that successfully addresses this concern," Yellen told reporters at a briefing.

The most important thing that can be done to support global economic growth is for Russia to end its brutal war in Ukraine, she said.

The IMF has forecast lower growth for most G20 nations this year than in 2022.

LANGUAGE ON WAR

European Council President Charles Michel echoed that view.

It is difficult to predict whether leaders will reach a consensus on a declaration but EU will support efforts made by India for a final communique, Michel told reporters in New Delhi.

Michel said Moscow is violating the UN charter and must stop attacking Ukrainian cities.

G20 sherpas or negotiators have made progress on most issues but the main point sticking point is the language in the leaders' declaration on the war, four Indian government sources told Reuters.

Western countries want a strong condemnation of the invasion as a condition for agreeing to a Delhi declaration. India has suggested that the G20, while condemning the suffering caused by Russia's invasion, also reflect Moscow and Beijing's view that the forum is not the place for geopolitics.

In addition, there is some disagreement on climate change cooperation, the sherpas added.

The group has been divided on commitments to phasing down fossil-fuel use, increasing renewable energy targets and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Modi's government is projecting India's presidency of the group and the summit as a showcase for the country's fast-growing economy and its rising position in the geo-political pecking order.

New Delhi has been decked up for the gathering with a brand new summit venue, fountains, flowerpots and illumination along major thoroughfares, alongside thousands of armed security personnel standing guard. (Reuters)