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MSMEs in 10 Priority Tourist Destinations Are Encouraged to Use Digital Applications - 

MSMEs are encouraged to maximize the use of digital applications in order to increase their income and increase their business class.

Directorate of Digital Economy, Directorate General of Informatics Applications, Ministry of Communication and Informatics RI facilitates 26,000 MSMEs in 10 Priority Indonesian Tourism Destinations with assistance from facilitators, Training Centers, data package assistance, marketplace aggregator applications, cashier applications (POS - Point of Sales), and learning applications online for six months so that MSMEs are more skilled in doing business using digital platforms.

The 10 priority tourist destinations include Lake Toba (North Sumatra), Tanjung Kelayang (Babel), Mandalika (NTB), Wakatobi (Southeast Sulawesi), Morotai (North Maluku), Thousand Islands (Jakarta), Tanjung Lesung (Banten), Borobudur (Central Java), Bromo (East Java), and Labuan Bajo (NTT). With each region as many as 2,600 SMEs.

The assistance carried out in these 10 Priority Tourism Destinations is the achievement of active-selling from 26,000 MSMEs in the manufacturing sector producer category. From Active Selling, MSMEs are expected to be able to revive their online stores in the marketplace by uploading photos and product descriptions, interacting with potential consumers, and also conducting transactions in the marketplace.

The target of this activity is a continuation of the target achieved in the previous year, namely on-boarding (owning or opening an online store) of 20,000 MSMEs in traditional markets in ten designated cities.

“This activity is a continuation of last year's on-boarding targeting traditional market traders. This year we are doing active-selling so that SMEs are more aggressive in trading in the online market and can maximize digital applications to increase access to marketing, capital and businesses that are relatively effective and efficient," said Puti Adella Elvina, Sub Coordinator of the MSME Impact Study and Survey. Ministry of Communication and Informatics RI in Jakarta, Friday (23/07/2021).

For six months, from July to December 2021, the 26,000 MSMEs were assisted in the active-selling process, receiving training materials on the topics of Social Media Utilization, E-Commerce, Financial Technology, POS (Point of Sales) Applications, and Technology 4.0. The hope is that MSMEs will be able to increase the capacity to use digital applications in their business activities.

In addition, 26,000 MSMEs will also get a marketplace aggregator application facility, to facilitate the monitoring process of online store activities in several marketplaces. MSMEs are also guided to implement the POS (Point of Sales) application so that their transaction processes are recorded properly. The two applications can be used for free for six months for MSMEs who participate in this activity. To access the digital platform, MSMEs are provided with data package facilities.

The facilitators deployed are ready to assist MSMEs both online and offline. Offline assistance can be carried out at the Training Center provided in each area complete with wifi and laptop facilities. However, if there are obstacles to attending the Training Center, the facilitator will come to the business location or domicile of the MSME actors. Special internet access at various regional points is also provided for MSMEs whose business locations are far from the Training Center.

This was also emphasized by Sumarno, Coordinator of Digital Technology Adoption of MSMEs at the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology of the Republic of Indonesia on the sidelines of his field visit: “The facilitators who have received training are ready to assist MSMEs both online and offline. You can do it at the Training Center, you can do it in a business place too. This assistance and facilities are provided for 26,000 MSMEs for six months.”
The use of digital technology and applications must continue to be echoed so that MSMEs in various industries, levels, and regions, can experience the benefits of digital technology to support their business.

This program is also supported by publication activities to increase public awareness through local radios in ten target areas that reach remote areas, which invites MSME actors to maximize opportunities to develop their businesses by optimizing the use of digital applications. This awareness is also addressed to relevant stakeholders, so that they can synergize in encouraging the development of MSMEs in their regions.

Along with the Mentoring Activities, the RI Kominfo also conducted a survey of 37,000 MSMEs in the producer and processing sector at the same target location online and offline. This survey aims to update data related to the adoption of digital technology by MSMEs, which can be used as a basis for the implementation of the next program.

There are three major agendas for MSMEs in the country from the Directorate of Digital Economy, Directorate General of Informatics Applications, RI Kominfo, namely on-boarding, active-selling, and scale-up. The three agendas aim to make MSMEs grow bigger and become at the forefront of the people's economy.

“We have three programs for SMEs so that they become big businessmen. From the usual stalls, we encourage them to have an online shop (on-boarding). Then we facilitate them to increase their business activities on various digital platforms (active-selling). And in the future, we will accompany them to spread their wings and develop their business with a scale-up program,” concluded I Nyoman Adhiarna, Plt. Director of Digital Economy, Ministry of Communication and Informatics RI//PR/NK

A man standing on Afghanistan's side of the border holds a Taliban flag as people walk towards a border crossing point in Pakistan AFP/Banaras KHAN - 

The Taliban's supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada on Sunday (Jul 18) said he "strenuously favours" a political settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan even as the hardline Islamist movement has launched a sweeping offensive across the nation.

The announcement comes as representatives of the Afghan government and Taliban insurgents sat down for a new round of talks in Doha over the weekend, stirring hopes that the long stalled peace talks were being resuscitated.

"In spite of the military gains and advances, the Islamic Emirate strenuously favors a political settlement in the country," Akhundzada said in a message released ahead of next week's Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

"Every opportunity for the establishment of an Islamic system, peace and security that presents itself will be made use of by the Islamic Emirate," he added.

For months, the two sides have been meeting on and off in the Qatari capital, but have achieved little if any notable success with the discussions appearing to have lost momentum as the militants made enormous gains on the battlefield.

The two sides were due to talk again on Sunday.

The Taliban leader said his group remained committed to forging a solution to end the war but slammed "the opposition parties" for "wasting time".

"Our message remains that instead of relying on foreigners, let us resolve our issues among ourselves and rescue our homeland from the prevailing crisis," he added.

The insurgents have capitalised on the last stages of the withdrawal of US and other foreign troops from Afghanistan to launch a series of lightning offensives across large swathes of the country.

The group is now believed to control roughly half of the nation's 400 districts, several important border crossings, and have laid siege to a string of vital provincial capitals.

Questions remain over how firm of a hand the Taliban's leaders have with commanders on the ground and whether they will be able to convince them to abide by a potential agreement if signed.

The leader's statement notably made no mention of a formal ceasefire call for the Eid holidays.

Over the years, the Taliban have announced a series of short truces during Islamic holidays that initially spurred hopes that a larger reduction of violence would be implemented in the country.

However the group has more recently been criticised for using the temporary ceasefires to resupply and replenish their fighters, allowing them to launch withering onslaughts on Afghanistan's security forces once the truce expires.

The US-led military coalition has been on the ground in Afghanistan for nearly two decades following an invasion launched in the aftermath of the Sep 11, 2001 attacks.

Fears are growing that Afghan forces will be overwhelmed without the vital air support they provide, allowing for a complete Taliban military takeover or the start of a multi-sided civil war in a country awash with large stockpiles of weapons following nearly four decades of fighting//CNA

Security staff stand guard at the entrance of the Athletes Village, where a person has tested positive for COVID-19, ahead of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan July 17, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon - 

Tokyo Olympics organisers on Sunday reported the first COVID-19 cases among competitors residing in the athletes' village, as its population swells ahead of the start of the pandemic-hit Games next week.

Two athletes from the same country and competing in the same sport staying in the village in the Harumi waterfront district tested positive for the virus, organisers said without providing further details.

An International Olympic Committee member from South Korea tested positive for the coronavirus on landing in Tokyo. Ryu Seung-min, a former Olympic athlete, is vaccinated, reflecting the infection risk even from vaccinated attendees.

The new infections are testing organisers' layered testing regime designed to ensure COVID cases are quickly caught and isolated. Proponents argue that the growing number of cases underscores the strength of the testing system.

Infection rates are climbing among Tokyo's general population, topping 1,000 new cases for four consecutive days. Polls show many Japanese oppose holding the Games with the influx of overseas visitors it entails.

The rainy season ended in Tokyo on Friday, bringing blue skies and intense heat. The burden on participants has been increased by virus countermeasures like masking.

"While we have been dealing with COVID matters, we haven't taken our focus off the heat," said Dr David Hughes, chief medical officer at the Australian Olympic Committee.

Officials point to heat countermeasures including the distribution of drinks and salt tablets and the use of misting towers and cooling vests.

The delayed Olympics was intended to showcase a modern, diverse Japan at a time of rising regional rivalries but the pandemic has left the country hosting a pared down event.

BIN Chief Budi Gunawan reviews the implementation of door-to-door vaccination activity in Mekarsari Village, West Bandung, West Java Province, on July 18, 2021 - 

BIN, Indonesia's National Intelligence Agency, conducted door-to-door vaccination drive against COVID-19 in six provinces in Indonesia on Sunday.

"Today, in accordance with the President's directives, BIN is holding door-to-door vaccinations for the public and students in remote areas of six provinces," General (retired) Budi Gunawan, Head of BIN, said while reviewing the activity in Mekarsari Village, Ngamprah Sub-district, West Bandung District, West Java, Sunday.

In addition to West Bandung, other regions hosting the door-to-door vaccination activities were Central Java, Banten, East Kalimantan, Riau and South Sulawesi.

In the six provinces, he said, BIN was targeting to administer COVID-19 vaccine jabs to some 10,000 people.

Budi Gunawan said his agency hoped to help the government's policy to accelerate the implementation of the national vaccination program to reach up to 3 million doses per day.

"Hence, the target of developing a herd immunity by reaching 70 percent (of the population) could be achieved by the end of 2021," he said in a press release.

In addition to vaccination activities, BIN also provided social assistance comprising 10,000 packages of basic food and vitamins for residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the six provinces.

"Let's continue to abide by the health protocols and pray that this pandemic will end soon," Budi Gunawan said//ANT