VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani (middle), delivers a statement during a press conference at Bali International Convention Center, Nusa Dua, Bali province, on Saturday (March 19, 2022). (ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi/uyu) - 

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is scheduled to open the 144th Session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) at Bali International Convention Center (BICC), Nusa Dua, Bali Province, on March 20, 2022.

He will greet around 1,000 delegates from 115 countries joining the conference in person.

"The event will end on March 24, 2022," Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Puan Maharani informed during a press conference at BICC, Nusa Dua, Bali Province, on Saturday.

A number of security personnel have been readied to secure the arrival of the President.

In addition, health protocols will be strictly implemented to curb the transmission of COVID-19 during the meeting. Thus, all participants attending the 144th Session of the IPU will be required to undergo a COVID-19 test, wear masks, and maintain physical distance.

Hand washing and sanitizing units have also been prepared all around the meeting venue.

The Indonesian House Speaker will chair all the assembly meetings of the 144th Session of the IPU, which is being held for the first time in the country.

The IPU is a cross-border inter-parliamentary collaboration. It is the second-largest democratic forum after the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

Maharani said that the theme of the conference is “Getting to Zero: Mobilizing Parliament to Act on Climate Change.”

On Saturday, Maharani, along with IPU president Duarte Pacheco and IPU secretary general Martin Chungong planted longan trees (Dimocarpus longan) in the courtyard of the BICC to demonstrate IPU's commitment to mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Meanwhile, the president of IPU said that the activity was an embodiment of the values all IPU delegates believe in.

However, the assembly meeting will not only discuss climate-related issues.

The delegates will also discuss a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine as well as gender equality, and the role of young people in politics, Pacheco said//ANT

South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia Park Tae-sung. ANTARA FOTO/Aprillio Akbar hp - 

The Republic of Korea (South Korea) is committed to working with Indonesia to bridge the interests of developed and developing countries through the G20 forum, particularly in digital transformation.

Ambassador of South Korea to Indonesia, Park Tae-sung, made the remarks during a special interview with ANTARA on Friday (March 18, 2022).

"We are committed to working together with Indonesia to become a bridge between developing and developed countries in digital transformation. We view Indonesia as a valuable friendly country," he said.

As part of its G20 Presidency, Indonesia is committed to bringing the interests of developing countries to the forum of 20 major world economies, including in relation to digital transformation.

Therefore, digital transformation has been made one of the priorities of Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, in addition to global health recovery and the transition to sustainable energy.

"There are several things that can encourage digital transformation, namely the artificial intelligence sector, Big Data, 5G, and Industry 4.0," he said.

The South Korean ambassador also emphasized the importance of digital transformation, saying it can boost the productivity of companies and also bring about major changes to society and culture in a country.

However, he also emphasized that the digital transformation process needs to pay attention to the issue of inequality in digital infrastructure as well as digital literacy and capabilities among communities as well as countries.

"What must also be a concern in the digital transformation process is that we must pay attention to those who are isolated due to digital inequality," he pointed out.

Therefore, he said he believes that the G20 countries need to build a good digital inclusiveness system.

"To overcome the problem of unemployment or job creation and to address the problems faced by micro, small, and medium enterprises and vulnerable groups (in realizing digital transformation), it is very important that we build digital inclusiveness. So, through this G20 (forum), we need to build a solid digital inclusiveness system," Ambassador Park remarked.

"South Korea is a developed country in the field of digital transformation. We can share our experiences with countries that need it in order to realize mutual prosperity," he added.

During the special interview, Ambassador Park also emphasized that the South Korean government is willing to support and cooperate with Indonesia for its successful G20 Presidency this year//ANT

House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Puan Maharani with IPU president Duarte Pacheco (left) and IPU secretary general Martin Chungong (right) at the Bali International Convention Center, Nusa Dua, on Saturday (March 19, 2022). (ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi/FR) - 

As host of the 144th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Indonesia will be in a strategic position to push for resolutions to global problems, House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Puan Maharani has said.

The assembly will take place in BICC, Nusa Dua, Bali, from March 20–24, 2022.

"Holding the IPU in Bali is certainly very strategic because as a host, Indonesia can actively take part in discussing and proposing a solution for global problems," she explained here on Saturday.

This strategic position can be seen from the role of the DPR Speaker, who will preside over the entire IPU assembly in Bali, she added.

The expectation is that, through IPU, Indonesia can lead the realization of all adopted resolutions to resolve global problems, she remarked.

Hence, Maharani will lead the course of the assembly, which will be attended by delegates from 115 IPU member countries.

The main theme that will be discussed at the 144th Assembly of the IPU will be the impact of climate change.

According to IPU President Duarte Pachecho, climate change is a real problem that all citizens in the world are encountering.

The IPU will not only discuss this issue, but also produce real concrete action, he stressed.

Aside from the impact of climate change, other issues that the 144th IPU will deliberate on include gender issues, youth in politics, and conflict between Russia-Ukraine. 

Particularly in relation to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the IPU will not stop urging all related parties to immediately cease violence, he said.

Another issue that will be discussed at the meeting is COVID-19 vaccine equality.

"Indonesia will prioritize fairness in the entire nations concerning vaccine (distribution) because how can we end COVID-19 pandemic in the entire world if not through vaccines that are distributed equally in all nations?” Maharani said.

IPU, a cross-border cooperation among parliaments, is the second largest democratic forum in the world after the United Nations (UN).

This is the first time that Indonesia is hosting the IPU assembly//ANT

Head of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI), Benny Rhamdani, at the signing of a memorandum of understanding between BP2MI and Texas IDNA at the BP2MI Command Center, here, on Friday (March 18, 2022). (ANTARA/HO-Humas BP2MI/FR) - 

The Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) and Texas Indonesian Diaspora Network of the Americas (IDNA) have agreed to cooperate on the placement and protection of Indonesian migrant workers in the United States.

According to a statement released on Saturday, the cooperation was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between BP2MI's Head Benny Rhamdani and Texas IDNA President Velisia Sitanggang Sextone.

The agreement will allow Indonesian migrant workers to enter the United States and apply for open, and highly competitive, formal and professional work opportunities, Rhamdani informed.

Speaking at the MoU signing event at the BP2MI Command Center, here, on Friday, he said that the cooperation between BP2MI and Texas IDNA is strategic.

This is especially since the agency has determined that 2022 is the year of placement of migrant workers.

To this end, getting overseas cooperation partners is a necessity, whether masters or service users or cooperation potential information connectors, for opening highly competitive work opportunities.

BP2MI has determined nine programs that have been adopted as measured organization policies through the implementation of an activity program within the BP2MI's Strategic Plan. The cooperation with Texas IDNA is one of them.

The cooperation is the result of a working visit by BP2MI representatives to the United States in September 2021 as part of an alternative strategy to tap into work opportunities there, Rhamdani explained.

"IDNA acts as a stronger relation bridge between Indonesian citizens and the United States citizens in terms of social, cultural, and economic aspects," he said.

"IDNA can act as a market intelligent along with Indonesia's representatives to open formal and professional work opportunities in the United States," he added//ANT