VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia and Suriname agreed to strengthen economic cooperation. This statement was conveyed by the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Retno L.P. Marsudi after a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Suriname, Yldiz Deborah Pollack-Beighle, in Paramaribo, Suriname (20/05).

The visit of the Indonesian Foreign Minister to Suriname, was the first full-fledge visit of the Indonesian Foreign Minister to Suriname in the last 26 years. During the visit the Indonesian Foreign Minister also had the opportunity to pay a courtesy visit to the President of Suriname, Desire Delano Bouterse.

Indonesia has special historical and cultural relations with Suriname. The Javanese ethnic group and language are one of the ethnic groups and languages ​​that live in Suriname.

"With the provision and special historical and cultural relations, it is very natural for Indonesia and Suriname to strengthen bilateral relations in various fields, especially economics and development," said Foreign Minister Retno.

Some areas of economic cooperation that are encouraged to be strengthened include infrastructure development, mining, energy, development of Sharia banking, and livestock, especially artificial insemination.

"Indonesia expressed its interest in participating in infrastructure development projects in Suriname, including projects that were funded by the Islamic Development Bank," explained Foreign Minister Retno.

In an effort to take advantage of the various opportunities available, the Indonesian business delegation also made a visit to Suriname in March 2019. Several areas of cooperation that received the attention of Indonesian business delegates included gold mining, urban development, solar panel construction for housing.

Indonesia also affirms its commitment to help Suriname in developing Sharia banking. Bank Indonesia has sent a team to Suriname to provide training in regulation and supervision of Islamic banking.

"Cooperation in the field of Islamic banking is one of the potential for cooperation, in this context, Bank Mandiri Syariah has supported efforts to increase capacity in the field of risk management and sharia accounting," said Foreign Minister Retno.

In the field of livestocks, Indonesia has also expressed its commitment to collaborate with artificial livestock insemination in the framework of cooperation between South-South Triagular Cooperation, through Reverse Linkage from the Islamic Development Bank. The draft Technical Agreement is planned to be signed in the first half of 2019.

In addition to the economy, one of the areas that has also become a concern for cooperation between Indonesia and Suriname is the development of the Suriname Diplomatic Training Center. The MoU on diplomatic education and training cooperation was signed in December 2018. In March 2019, Indonesia has sent a team to provide Indonesia's experience in the development of diplomatic education and training.

During the visit, an agreement on a short-term visa-free visit for ordinary passport holders has been signed. This agreement is the only one that includes holders of diplomatic, official, and ordinary passports in an agreement. It is hoped that the visit visa-free agreement and the close relationship between this particular history and culture will become the basis for further strengthening people-to-people contact between the two countries. (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

The 8th meeting of the RI-Iran Bilateral Consultation Commission (KKB) took place in Jakarta, May 15.2019. The meeting was chaired jointly by Desra Percaya, Director General of the Asia Pacific and Africa (Aspasaf) of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mahmoud Farazandeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran and Oceania Affairs of the Iranian Foreign Ministry to discuss important issues related to the two countries' political, economic, cooperation. socio-cultural information, consular affairs and other important issues in the region as well as mapping future bilateral cooperation action plans.

Both sides view Iran's RI bilateral relations as going well until now and there are still a number of potentials that can be developed and improved. RI-Iran's political relations were marked by mutual visits by officials from both countries, including efforts to increase cooperation in capacity building between Parliament of the two countries. In addition, in the field of trade economics, both parties agreed to continue to carry out cooperation, especially related to the Iran situation which was hit by economic sanctions by the US, the need to use all capabilities to encourage cooperation between the two countries, especially the mechanism of financial transactions.

Meanwhile in the field of social media, various opportunities for cooperation in the fields of education, research, health, culture, tourism and women's empowerment are mentioned. The two parties also discussed developments in the regional and international situation including the Palestinian, spiritual and regional and international organizations such as ASEAN, the OIC and the United Nations.

 The meeting has resulted in constructive dialogue in various fields, both countries agreed to continue to increase cooperation in various fields and develop other potential cooperation (kemenlu)

Indonesian Electoral Commission, KPU, officially  establishes the national vote of each participant presidential-vice presidential election, political party of National Assembly, DPR, provincial Assembly DPRD, Municipal Council, DPRD-Kab/city and  Regional Delegates, DPD at election 2019, Tuesday (21/5) early in the morning.

West Java Regional Secretary (Sekda) Iwa Karniwa said that the West Java Provincial Government has discussed the planned capital participation of state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura (AP) II in PT West Java International Airport (BIJB).

"Recently, the West Java Provincial Government has held a discussion on the planned 25 percent ownership of the state-owned company (BUMN) in PT BIJB," Iwa Karniwa said in Bandung on Monday.

Iwa said that he had asked PT BIJB to discuss the amount of capital participation to be paid annually by AP II.

According to Iwa, the figure of IDR 625 billion will be considered during meetings between PT BIJB, a state regional company  (BUMD), and the BUMN, which manages Kertajati Airport in Majalengka.

"Regarding how much per year and what month will be paid, they will have a follow-up meeting," he said.

He added that in addition to finalizing the AP II plan to become a shareholder in BUMD, which is majority owned by the West Java Provincial Government, it also ensures that there is the remaining 11 percent of shares to be offered to foreign investors from Malaysia.

"We also encourage interested parties to target 11 percent of the shares. We are open to the first to enter PT BIJB," he said.

The party has calculated that if converted into rupiah, the 11.6 percent share is equivalent to Rp260 billion-Rp290 billion.

He said that from the two planned capital participation, he hoped that one of them could be realized immediately, considering that PT BIJB needed capital participation funds in the near future.

"So the first to make a deposit to BIJB is due to the need now," said Iwa.

If PT Angkasa Pura II (AP II) has officially injected capital into PT Bandarudara Internasional West Java (PT BIJB) of 25 percent, or Rp. 625 billion, it will be used for airport operations and paying off debts.

Director of PT Bandarudara Internasional West Java (BIJB) Muhamad Singgih said the financial problems of his company involved paying off debts in syndicated Islamic banking, both in terms of principal and margin. In addition, it also pays debts to contractors.

"If there is money coming from any investor, the equity we will use will not only be for operations, but also for reducing the debt burden to contractors," Singgih said. (ant)