VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Bank Indonesia (BI) is buoyant about the rupiah strengthening to below Rp15,000 per US dollar during Wednesday's trading on the back of several factors, including expectations of the US economy recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. As quoted by Antara News Agency, BI Governor Perry Warjiyo  in an online press statement on Wednesday stated that several areas in the United States have begun their economic activities. Warjiyo noted that the Fed had also projected an improvement in the US economy in the second semester of 2020 after reeling from recession in the previous semester. The Fed statement will offer a positive impetus to the rupiah's exchange rate against global currencies//Ant

Indonesia's economic growth in the first quarter (Q1) at 2.97 percent year-on-year (yoy) is still relatively good as compared to several countries whose economies contracted, thereby recording negative growth// As quoted by Antara News Agency /  President Joko Widodo  while chairing a plenary cabinet meeting held through a videoconference from the Merdeka Palace  on Wednesday stated that  the economic growth was moving at a positive level, while several developed countries experienced a contraction in the gross domestic product (GDP), for instance, China’s 6.8 percent contraction// the president pointed out that let the government  see the contraction and negative growth of several countries// China fell from plus six percent to minus 6.8 percent, thereby translating to a slump of 12.8 percentage points in sequential year-on-year growth; France, 6.25 percent, minus; Hong Kong, 5.9 percent; and Italy, 4.95 percent, recorded negative growth//Ant

The EU, together with WHO and other partners, hosted an international pledging conference on 4 May 2020 raising €7.4 billion Euro in only a few hours, as initial funding to kick-start a global research cooperation. The aim is to gather significant funding to ensure the collaborative development and universal deployment of diagnostics, treatments and vaccines against coronavirus. The pledging continues until the end of May, and funds collected will be channelled into three strands: diagnostics, treatments and vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge and requires a global response. This initiative is part of a multilateral response to the COVID-19 crisis and follows up on a commitment made by EU leaders at the G20 and G7 meetings. European comission President Ursula von der leyen said that the world is coming together to defeat the virus.

"The 4th of May 2020 mark turning point in our fight againts the corona virus. Because the world is coming together, government from every continents joint hands and team up with global health organization and other experience partners. The partners are many the goal is one to defeat this virus" Von Der Leyen said. 

In parallel, the EU has already committed over €380 million in research and innovation measures to develop vaccines, new treatments, diagnostic tests and medical systems to prevent the spread of the virus.On the occasion the UN secretary general Antonio Guterres stated that UN is pleased working together with EU and other states to A universal and affordable Access to COVID-19 Tools or ACT-Accelerator.

"I was very happy to join the the world health organization and the initial groups of other sectors to launch the ACT accelerated. A landmark of global cooperation to speed up the development of vaccines and equitable acces to the new covid 19 diagnostic, treatments and vaccine" Antonio Guterres said. 

The pledging event was co-convened by the European Union, Canada, France, Germany, Italy (also incoming G20 presidency), Japan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (also holding the G20 presidency), Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom. The initiative is a response to the callfrom the World Health Organization (WHO) and a group of health actors for a global collaboration for the accelerated development, production and equitable global access to new coronavirus essential health technologies. The Coronavirus Global Response Initiative is comprised of three partnerships for testing, treating and preventing underpinned by health systems strengthening//NK

Businesses will be able to apply for loans of up to £50,000 from Monday in a scheme backed by the Treasury. The new scheme, dubbed bounce back loans, will offer smaller amounts than the existing Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). But the Treasury says they will be quicker and easier to apply for and will have a 2.5% interest rate. The form will be seven questions long and the loan is 100% guaranteed by the government. The CBILS provide loans of up to £5m for companies with a turnover of less than £45m. The CBIL scheme loans have come in for criticism by some businesses, especially smaller ones. Banks can often apply their usual lending criteria, which makes it harder for smaller enterprises to qualify while locked down.Banks have been criticized for delays in handing out loans but have blamed the heavy workload, the need to complete the necessary credit checks and a shortage of staff. The government insists these new loans will be easier to apply for//bbc