VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo (right) delivers a speech at the G20 Summit in Rome, Italy, on Saturday (October 30, 2021). (ANTARA/HO-Biro Pers Sekretariat Presiden/Laily Rachev) - 

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Saturday asked G20 member states to help reduce the shortage and availability gap of COVID-19 vaccines as well as support the distribution of medicines and essential equipment.

G20 members should support product diversification and transfer of technology to developing countries and ease trade obstacles to vaccine raw materials, he said at the G20 Summit in Rome, Italy, on Saturday.

He also asked the members to support the COVAX Facility program.

“The restructuring of the world health resilience architecture must be inclusive, and uphold the principles of solidarity, justice, transparency, and equality,” he said.

The architecture can be strengthened through the preparation of mechanisms to raise global health resources, such as funding, vaccine support, medicines, medical equipment, and health workers, to help countries resolve the health crisis, he added.

President said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has provided an example of how global financial funds can be raised to help countries facing a monetary crisis.

He then invited state leaders to arrange inter-state standard health protocols, including international travel protocols.

These three strategies, he said, are expected to strengthen the global health architecture.

The G20 is a global forum that was established in 1999.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Financial Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati accompanied the President to the G20 meeting//ANT

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi (second from left) reviewed the implementation of health protocols at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali province on Saturday (October 30, 2021). (ANTARA/HO-Transportation Minister/uyu) - 

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi reviewed a simulation for handling the arrival of international passengers at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali province, on Saturday to ensure the strict implementation of the health protocols.

"I laud the passenger handling process which is being implemented by carrying out COVID-19 PCR tests. In addition, immigration and customs processes can be carried out quickly using the same quick response code technology," he said in a statement received here on Saturday.

Furthermore, in preparing for reopening international flights, which officially opened on October 14, 2021, a number of simulations have been carried out at the airport since October 9, 2021, he informed. 

The simulation on Saturday was the 10th to be conducted by state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura I (AP I) along with relevant stakeholders, he added.

The minister said that it is necessary to properly inform prospective airplane passengers of the arrival protocols.

"Hence, I am coordinating with the Foreign Affairs Minister to ask Indonesian embassies in the 19 countries from where people have been allowed to travel here to carry out the socialization," he informed.

Furthermore, he also reviewed the COVID-19 PCR test facility and the passenger waiting room at the airport before inspecting one of the hotels designated to serve as a quarantine facility for international passengers.

Sumadi sought the assistance of the military and police personnel as well as the COVID-19 Task Force to monitor the implementation of health protocols closely.

"We do not want any passenger to escape the self-quarantine site or to not adhere to the regulation. The violation potential exists. Thus, we must carefully monitor it,” he said.

He lauded the joint efforts of AP I, Port Health Office (KKP), Immigration Office, military, and police toward handling the arrival of international passengers at the airport.

Currently, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport has opened international flights to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, and Norway.

Meanwhile, the Transportation Ministry has issued Circular Letter Number 85 of 2021 regarding the requirements for international air travelers.

The circular requires international passengers to take three COVID-19 RT-PCR tests – before leaving the origin country, upon their arrival at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, and on the fourth day of self-quarantine.

A five-day quarantine upon arrival has been also been made mandatory. Travelers need to bring their vaccination certificate or letter, fill out the Electronic Health Alert Card (E-HAC) on PeduliLindungi app, as well as show their visa, proof of health insurance ownership, and receipt of accommodation booking upon arrival, as per the circular//ANT

An officer operates an excavator to dredge organic and inorganic waste from Pluit Reservoir, North Jakarta on Friday (October 29, 2021). (ANTARA PHOTO/M Risyal Hidayat/hp/KT) - 

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) and the Indonesian Hydraulic Engineers Association (HATHI) have prepared several measures for tackling La Nina storms that can cause flooding in Indonesia, an official has informed.

"As per BMKG predictions, the rain pattern from late 2021 to early 2022 will be influenced by La Nina," PUPR Ministry secretary general Zainal Fattah said in his welcoming speech at the Annual Scientific Meeting (PIT) of HATHI at the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) Surabaya on Saturday.

According to him, Indonesia is one of the countries that possesses considerable water resources. Those huge resources must be sustained with good management, he said.

"However, our water resources actually hold the potential to cause damage, too. Natural disasters are showing an increasing trend," he explained.

Based on data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BMKG), Indonesia recorded 750 floods in 2019, one thousand in 2020, and the number has increased this year, he noted.

He said his office has also taken note of studies showing the growing tendency of hydro-meteorological disasters.

"Hydro-meteorological disasters are one of the impacts of global climate change. In the tropical regions where we live, climate change impacts rain intensity," Fattah expounded.

As BMKG has predicted that there will be a La Nina storm, he said his office has taken several anticipatory steps, including activating the disaster mitigation task force to monitor all existing infrastructure in Indonesia and inspect the flood volume.

"We are also carrying out disaster alert SOPs (standard operating procedures) at 250 dams with a reservoir volume of 4.7 cu m," he highlighted.

Meanwhile, HATHI chairman Ir. Jarot Widyoko said the La Nina storm will pass the Indonesian region and rain intensity is predicted to rise by 70 percent.

"For that, we expect ourselves, institutions, and agencies to empty or minimize the (flood) reservoirs," he said.

However, the minimum need for hydroelectric power plants (PLTA) and raw water needs must be included in the consideration, he added.

"Reservoirs or dams can maximally receive water and reduce water discharge caused by heavy rain intensity," he said//ANT

A screenshot of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mahendra Siregar, during the 2nd Pacific Exposition 2021, accessed from Jakarta on Saturday (October 30, 2021). (ANTARA PHOTOS/Aria Cindyara/my) - 

The promotion of trade and investment is an important part of efforts to accelerate economic recovery, thus countries in the Pacific region need to work together more closely.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahendra Siregar made the statement at the closing press conference of the 2021 Pacific Exposition, which was accessed from Jakarta on Saturday.

"With the pace of globalization, we must ensure that our position in the global supply chain is appropriate to achieve economic benefits," he said.

The four-day Pacific Exposition 2021 was held to promote trade cooperation between countries in the Pacific region. It featured several business matching and discussion forums.

The event generated a number of potential business transactions, racking up to US$104 million (approximately Rp 1.48 trillion) through business-oriented activities, he noted.

Siregar said that aside from economic recovery, the countries' involvement in the joint economy also serves as a basis for climate change, environmental sustainability, and disaster mitigation.

He also stressed the importance of sustainable development supported by technology.

“Technology has an important part in supporting the development of a blue and green economy so that it can be done by each island nation in the Pacific. This can be achieved by strengthening collaboration in technical cooperation and capacity building,” he said.

He further said he believed that all stakeholders must use the established platform to strengthen engagement with all those in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

"For Indonesia itself, we are committed to bringing the situation in the Pacific to the world's attention, including through our Presidency of the G20 in 2022, the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2023, and our role in various regional and international forums," the deputy minister added//ANT