VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - The 2023 ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum (AIPF) encouraged cooperation between state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and the private sector, SOEs Minister Erick Thohir has said.

"Why did we organize the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum…? We, indeed, wanted to encourage cooperation between SOEs and private parties, as well as with foreign investors," he said, while visiting the media center of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on Thursday.

He said that SOEs have a role in building a conducive ecosystem for cooperation with various parties.

The 2023 AIPF Business Matching in Jakarta on September 6 was attended by 185 investors, both international and domestic.

The business matching involved several sectors: renewable energy, green hydrogen development, green ammonia, alumina refinery, battery value chain, and toll road and port infrastructure.

Thohir emphasized the importance of following up on each cooperation potential so that the cooperation can be realized.

Earlier, SOEs Deputy Minister Rosan Perkasa Roeslani informed that his ministry is targeting cooperation potential worth US$50 billion from the AIPF.

"We estimate that, from the business matching, the addition will be cooperation potential worth US$50 billion consisting of 35 SOE projects worth US$22 billion," he said.

Roeslani added that there would also be US$10 billion from four projects of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) as well as US$810 million from projects coming from the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Brunei Darussalam.

He informed that those projects involve several SOEs, including MIND ID, PT Pelindo, PT Krakatau Steel, PT Bio Farma, PT PLN, Pupuk Indonesia, PT Angkasa Pura I, PT Pertamina, PT ASDP, PT Aviasi Pariwisata Indonesia (InJourney), and PT Danareksa.

Indonesia hosted AIPF themed "Implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific" in Jakarta on September 5-6.

The forum aimed to strengthen inclusive cooperation and collaboration between ASEAN countries and partner countries in the Indo-Pacific Region. (antaranews)

VOInews, Jakarta: The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy predicts that the 43rd ASEAN Summit for three days from September 5-7, 2023 will have the same economic impact as the 2022 G20 Summit in Bali.

Sandiaga Uno, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, when reviewing the ASEAN Summit Media Center at the JCC, Jakarta, Wednesday (6/9/2023) explained that his party was sending a team to calculate in detail the economic impact of holding this summit which was held for three days. The G20 Summit had an impact on the national economy reaching 533 million US dollars or Rp7.4 trillion and absorbing more than 33 thousand new jobs.

"The ASEAN Summit is expected to have the same impact as the G20 Summit in Bali, although the number of countries that are members of ASEAN is smaller but dialog partner countries such as China, Korea, Japan, India, Canada, America are here with their own delegations and we are counting well," he said.

Sandiaga Uno explained, hotel occupancy around the Senayan area, Jakarta, reached 100 percent. "Hotels around Senayan are fully booked and tonight we will see a gala dinner that usually amazes the guest participants and this is our strength. In addition to the strength of beautiful natural destinations, friendly people, and our culture that is displayed festively," he said.

In addition, Sandiaga said, regarding the tourism sector, his party continues to directly monitor agreements related to investment and also sustainable tourism offers in several super priority destinations.

"During business matching, we are targeting to focus on quality and sustainable investment, our hope in the tourism sector is that we are targeting 6 billion-8 billion US dollars in investment and in the form of job creation of 4.4 million until 2024," he said.

The epicenter of growth theme for the ASEAN Summit, according to Sandiaga, is very appropriate because when other parts of the world experience an economic slowdown, ASEAN actually experiences strong and sustainable growth.

"We will continue to collaborate because the agreements that are produced are those that will ensure the centrality of ASEAN and also the important points of ASEAN in the transformation of a challenging world economy. The ASEAN community has its pulse in Jakarta and it is our obligation to call out to the world, not only are we ready to organize a successful summit but also the substance agreed here can bring a better world and better world economic growth," he said. (VOI/Andy)

VOInews, Jakarta: Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Menparekraf/Kabaparekraf) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno said ASEAN youth or young generation must take a strategic role to ensure the availability of employment to be actively involved in action and sustainability issues.

Sandiaga was one of the panelists at the ASEAN+ Youth Summit 2023 "ASEAN Youth Strength: Collaboration in Diversity with the theme "Elevating ASEAN Opportunities: Prospects, Hurdles, and Crafting a Resilient Future Presented by ASEAN Youth Agenda", at the Jakarta Concert Hall, Thursday (7/9/2023), wants to ensure that young people take a strategic and central role in job creation and engage in sustainability issues.

"I also noted the enthusiasm of our young people in creating an ASEAN citizen show, so the culture and sense of belonging as an ASEAN country," said Minister Sandiaga.

Sandiaga said he was happy to meet with the young generation of ASEAN. The Minister also has high hopes for the young generation of ASEAN who have positive energy, creative and innovative ideas in empowering MSMEs as well as empowering women.

"The economy is largely supported by MSMEs. And 90 percent of jobs come from MSMEs, and almost 60 percent of MSMEs are engaged in the creative economy sector of culinary, fashion, handicrafts, digital economy, music, film, animation, most of which are empowered by women. So I would say this entrepreneurship really has to become an ASEAN citizen and must be promoted more as an ASEAN culture," Sandiaga said.

Furthermore, on this occasion, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy conveyed the success story and shared best practices that have been carried out by Indonesia through the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy in efforts to restore the tourism sector and creative economy after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I remember that day, on December 22, I was called by President Joko Widodo and I was appointed, I was told that, 'You will take care of tourism'. I thought with COVID-19 and the restrictions, do we need tourism in this situation? But apparently, it was an important moment because on that day, we designed how to personalize, customize, localize, and smaller in size tourism. How we create ecotourism, how tourism villages suddenly become very important in the tourism platform," Sandiaga said.

The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy explained that various international events such as the G20 Summit and the 43rd ASEAN Summit held in Indonesia helped tourism recovery.

He also believes that the younger generation has taken part in efforts to restore Indonesian tourism. Therefore, he invited ASEAN youth to travel to Indonesia.

"And we believe now our target is very high, 1.2 billion to 1.4 billion archipelago tourist movements targeted in 2023, will really be driven by the younger generation," said Minister Sandiaga.

Apart from the Tourism Minister, there were also other panelists at the Summit 2023 "ASEAN Youth Strength: Collaboration in Diversity, namely Climate Strategy Advisor to the World Economic Forum, Nathan Cooper; Chief Commercial Officer (COO) Sarisuki Philippines, Bam Meija; and Indonesian artist and philanthropist, Raline Shah. (VOI/Andy)

VOInews, Jakarta: Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) encourage increased ASEAN-India cooperation through the marine sector. President Joko Widodo said that so far ASEAN-India cooperation has benefited the people but according to him this collaboration can still be optimized.

"We can push the potential of this cooperation towards a blue economy, food security, maritime connectivity, and sustainable marine energy resources," he said in his opening remarks at the 20th ASEAN-India Summit in Jakarta, Thursday (7/9/2023).

President Joko Widodo said the Indian Ocean has great potential for marine cooperation that must be utilized by ASEAN and India. According to him, the Indian Ocean has great potential because it connects 33 countries with 2.9 billion people.

"We still need to optimize this collaboration, especially considering the great potential of the Indian Ocean which connects 33 countries with 2.9 billion people and 1/5 of the world's GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in 2025," he said.

Furthermore, President Joko Widodo also highlighted maritime crimes that often occur such as piracy, human and drug smuggling, and illegal fishing (IUU Fishing).

"We must also tackle maritime crimes such as piracy human smuggling narcotics and Illegal Unregulated Unreported (IUU) Fishing," he said.

He also invited all ASEAN and Indian leaders to make the ocean an opportunity for cooperation by maintaining stability at sea. This, according to him, can be done by respecting international law, encouraging habits of cooperation and building an inclusive regional architecture.

"This is the key to realizing a region capable of becoming an epicenter of growth," he concluded. (VOI/Andy)