VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Cairo invites business actors in Egypt to take part in the Indonesia-Africa Forum II to accelerate investment and encourage transformation on the African continent.

This invitation was conveyed by the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, Lutfi Rauf, on a separate occasion after the Tahfiz Al Quran Festival for the month of Ramadan was held in Qalyubiyah Province, Egypt, Wednesday (20/3).

Ambassador Lutfi Rauf hopes that the presence of Egyptian business actors at the Indonesia-Africa Forum II in Bali will help build positive momentum for the Indonesia-Africa private sector partnership, in order to accelerate investment in the fields of education, science, technology and innovation, as a means to encourage Indonesia's transformation on the African continent.

Lutfi in a press statement, Friday (22/3) said that the presence of Egyptian business actors opened up opportunities to further expand cooperation and collaboration for mutual benefit between Indonesia and Africa.

Indonesian Embassy Trade Attaché M. Syahran Bhakti revealed that Indonesia-Africa II 2024 is planned to be held in Badung Regency, Bali on August 27 and 28, 2024.

Abdul Hakim Al Tarki as organizer of the Tahfiz Al Quran Festival in Qalyubiya Province, Egypt, welcomed the invitation to attend the Indonesia-Africa Forum II. He said he would prepare supporting materials in the study of economic transformation, energy cooperation, sustainable economic development, food security, health and sustainable cooperation in various fields.

The Indonesia-Africa Forum was first held on 10 and 11 April 2018 in Badung Regency, Bali. The forum facilitated meetings between Indonesian and African business actors and resulted in business agreements amounting to US$ 1.09 billion.

The Indonesian Consulate General Frankfurt in collaboration with Affiliates of Indonesian Language Teachers and Activists for German Foreign Speakers is holding regular Indonesian Language classes for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) for the Spring in March-May 2024 period. This activity is a follow-up of the Indonesian Language classes for Foreign Speakers for the Spring period 2023. There are 82 people registered for this class program in 2024 which is divided into three classes, namely two advanced classes and one conversation class. Meanwhile, participants who wish to take the beginner class are recommended to take it at the nearest language course institution to their domicile.

The opening event was held online via a Zoom meeting on Tuesday (19/3), and it was attended by the Head of the Center for Language Strengthening and Empowerment representing the Agency for Language Development and Guidance at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of Indonesia, Attaché for Education and Culture, Indonesian Embassy in Berlin, teachers and the class program participants as well as staff of the Indonesian Consulate General in Frankfurt. In the opening, Head of the Center for Language Strengthening and Empowerment, Iwa Lukmana expressed his appreciation to the Indonesian Consulate General in Frankfurt and all teachers from the Indonesian diaspora. He hopes Indonesian Language classes for Foreign Speakers students will also be enthusiastic to learn Indonesian culture.

Indonesian Consul General Frankfurt, Antonius Yudi Triantoro in his speech conveyed that the provision of the program learning services is an opportunity to increasingly introduce Indonesian to foreign citizens, in line with the determination of Indonesian as an official language at the UNESCO general assembly starting in 2023. The Indonesian consulate General in Frankfurt will make it a routine and ongoing agenda. Antonius also conveyed that Indonesian is an example of the daily implementation of the values of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika and is one of the national identities of the Indonesian nation which is able to create harmony in its role as a unifying language.

In Germany, Indonesian language is taught at several universities. Participants in the regular class program of the Indonesian Consulate General in Frankfurt are foreign nationals who are domiciled in 6 states in the working area of the Indonesian Consulate General in Frankfurt, western and southern regions of Germany namely Hesse, Baden Württemberg, Nordrhein Westfalen, Bavaria, Rheinland Pfalz und Saarland. Training participants in this Spring   2024 period are not only German citizens, but also citizens of other countries, such as France.

The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy collaborates with PT. KAI/KA Wisata and ASTINDO to present the "Train Tour Packages Bundling" program in a bid to welcome the momentum of the Eid holiday while realizing the target of domestic tourist movement of 1.5 billion in 2024. Through this initiative, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno appreciates PT's full support of KAI/KA Wisata and ASTINDO towards the recovery and revival of the tourism and creative sector. He also hopes that more and more domestic tourists will be interested and start planning their tours during the Eid holiday with KAI and travel agents.

Meanwhile, Commercial Director of PT Kereta Api Indonesia, Hadis Surya Palapa, explained that in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy and ASTINDO, there are two derivative programs from "Train Tour Packages Bundling" namely Nyok Mudik ke Jakarta Aje (Let's Go Home to Jakarta) and Monday-Thursday Tourism. For Nyok Mudik ke Jakarta Aje, there are around 20 routes to Jakarta that can be used by prospective tourists, which are packed with attractive tour packages, including accommodation, culinary delights and tourism attractions. PT. KAI provides discounts for trains of up to 30 percent and is valid during the Eid holiday. Meanwhile, the Monday-Thursday Tourism program offers train tickets with attractive discounts for various destinations every Monday to Thursday departure, specifically for travel agents who bundle their services using trains.

Besides the collaboration program, PT. KAI also presents an independently managed Ramadan Festive program. Taking place on March 20-21, 2024, KAI provides 38,000 seats with rates for executive class costing IDR 300,000, business class IDR 250,000, while economy class IDR 200,000 with a validity period during the Eid momentum. Meanwhile, General Chairperson of ASTINDO, Pauline Suharno, said that if KAI provides its mode of transportation to support the movement of domestic tourists; ASTINDO acts as a provider of thematic tourism packages in the regions. It creates tour packages in cities that are not reached by airports. Tourists can enjoy vacation at promotional prices for hotel discounts, attraction discounts and train ticket discounts.

The Indonesian Ministry of Trade recorded that Indonesian household appliance products have reached potential transactions of USD 8.88 million or around 133 billion rupiah at “ the  Inspired Home Show 2024 “ exhibition. The event was held on 17th–19th March 2024 in McCormick Place, Chicago  United States. Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia Chicago, Listyowati in Jakarta on  Wednesday (20/3)  conveyed that this value has tripled compared to transaction achievements in the previous year's participation. Listyowati in hopes that  the “ Inspired Home Show  2024 “ exhibition  can be utilized optimally to get to know the American market and expand networks, so it builds the good image of quality Indonesian products. Moreover,  recording transactions and even it will  increase the value of exports in the future.

The Indonesian Pavilion presented eight companies exhibiting quality and value-added/environmentally friendly, recycled sustainable products, household equipment and equipment products and products with new innovations.  More than 100 retail companies visited the Indonesian Pavilion during the exhibition. In 2024,  potential buyers are more varied.  Apart from the United States,  the Indonesian Pavilion was visited by buyers including from Canada,  Mexico,  Brazil,  Argentina, Panama,  England,  Germany,  United Arab Emirates,  India,  South Korea,  China, Spain,  Italy,  Netherlands and Peru.

Meanwhile, the Head of Indonesian Trade Promotion Center in Chicago,  Iska Huberta Sinurat explained the most popular products are wooden tableware,  glassware,  home decorations and unique added value,  recycled products,  as well as environmentally friendly products. According to Iska,  at the  exhibition in 2024,  there were many importers, buyers at the Indonesian Pavilion who wanted to move their production centers to Indonesia. The  Indonesian Trade Promotion Center also received requests from other product producers from Indonesia for similar purposes. Based on Global Trade Atlas data -S&P Global,  in 2023 the value of United States imports for household equipment products from the world,  amounted to 455 billion US dollars,  decreased 2.25 percent from 2022.  For this sector,  Indonesia's exports to America were recorded at 7.4 billion US dollars. Iska emphasized,  from this data it can be seen that the opportunity for Indonesian products to meet the American household equipment product market is still wide open//