VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto. (ANTARA/HO-Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs/uyu) - 

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has said that a quality young generation will have an important role as the driving force of national economic growth in the Society 5.0 era.

“The development of digital skills is projected to give contribution of Rp4,434 trillion to Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2030. The figure is equivalent to 16 percent of Indonesia’s total GDP," he said in an official statement released here on Saturday.

A study conducted by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company in 2021 pegged Indonesia’s digital gross merchandise value (GMV) at US$70 billion, or 40 percent of the total digital GMV of Southeast Asian countries.

Hence, the huge potential must be utilized for mutual prosperity as the value is estimated to continue to grow and reach US$146 billion by 2025.

"However, the development of the economic potential requires coordination and synergy with all parties, including universities, by encouraging the digitalization of learning programs," the coordinating minister said.

The development of digital talent is also expected to promote the digitization of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia.

MSMEs, along with entrepreneurs, have been among the pillars of national economic growth in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, currently, the ratio of entrepreneurs in Indonesia is only 3.47 percent of the total population.

The number is below the entrepreneurship ratio in developed countries, where it is at least 5 percent.

MSMEs also often experience challenges, including limited innovation, technology, financing, human resources, branding, and marketing access, as well as difficulties in standardization and certification.

The challenges faced by MSMEs are increasing, especially amid the pandemic, since they now need to adapt to technological developments to digitize their business and provide wide, fast, effective, and efficient services.

"The government has continued to support MSMEs as a very important digital economic ecosystem in Indonesia by issuing policy instruments that can optimize benefits for MSMEs," Hartarto added//ANT

Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto (right) met with Greek Minister of National Defense Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos (middle) in Athens, Greece, on Friday (March 11, 2022). (ANTARA/HO-Public Relations of General Secretary of Defense Ministry/uyu) - 

Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto met with Greek Minister of National Defense Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos in Athens, Greece, on March 11, 2022, according to an official statement received here on Saturday.

During the meeting, they discussed efforts toward increasing defense cooperation between the two countries, including for defense equipment as well as joint education and training.

The ministers also talked about other strategic defense issues.

The Indonesian minister was welcomed with an honorary ceremony for higher ranks.

"We had a productive discussion. Greece and Indonesia have good relations. Greece is one of the first European countries to recognize our sovereignty," Subianto remarked.

The two nations established cooperation in the defense industry in 2015 through the inking of an agreement between Greek company Theon Sensors and Indonesian state-run weapons company PT Pindad (Persero) for the joint production of night vision rifles (TBSM) in Indonesia.

The joint project aimed to optimize the utilization of Indonesian domestic products for the TBSM.

The two enterprises also collaborated to establish an assembly line and conduct joint sales of the product.

The collaboration, which was titled Pindad Optronics Workshop, was launched at the 2016 Indo Defence Expo and Forum.

The cooperation sought to optimize the technology transfer process to enrich technology application in the domestic industry.

Meanwhile, Panagiotopoulos said that his country plans to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Indonesia in the political, economic, and defense sectors, especially in trade, maritime, shipping, research and development, tourism, as well as industry.

During the meeting, the Indonesian minister also expressed his concern over the escalating situation in Ukraine.

"We urge all parties to immediately start a peaceful dialogue and resolve the problem. We hope and pray that the crisis will be resolved through a peaceful resolution,” he added//ANT

Officers prepare facilities and utilities at ground zero for the new capital, Nusantara, in Sepaku, Penajam Paser Utara district, East Kalimantan, where President Joko Widodo is scheduled to camp on Monday (March 14, 2022). (ANTARA/HO/KT) - 

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is scheduled to camp at the site for the new national capital, Nusantara, which is currently under construction in Sepaku, Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan, on Monday (March 14, 2022).

He will be accompanied by the governors of East Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and North Kalimantan.

"Some 33 governors are expected to come to the camping site (where the President will stay)," East Kalimantan Regional Secretariat Administrative Bureau head H.M. Syafranuddin informed in Penajam on Saturday.

"But only five governors will stay and camp with the President at the zero point of Nusantara," he said.

As part of the camping activities, President Widodo will perform the Kendi Nusantara ritual with the 33 governors.

The governors have been instructed to bring water and soil from their regions, then combine and store them in Kendi Nusantara, or the Nusantara Jug, at ground zero.

East Kalimantan Governor Isran Noor has been asked to bring water and soil from two regions in his province: the districts of Kutai Kartanegara and Paser, Syafranuddin informed.

This is because Nusantara spans the Kutai Kartanegara Sultanate as well as the Paser Sultanate, so the water and soils will serve as a symbol representing the two sultanates of East Kalimantan.

"The President's ritual and camping activities will be held on Monday (March 14) and Jokowi is scheduled to arrive at Balikpapan on Sunday (March 13), one day before the event, so he will stay in Balikpapan first," Syafranuddin said.

A number of facilities and utilities have been prepared at the camping site such as toilet and washing facilities, telecommunications networks, electricity, water, and others.

"The tent and others which the President and his entourage will use are 100-percent ready," Syafranuddin said.

The camping activities will end on March 16, 2022//ANT

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba speaks during a news conference after meeting with his counterparts Russian Sergei Lavrov and Turkish Mevlut Cavusoglu, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Antalya, Turkey Mar 10, 2022. (Photo: REUTERS/Murad Sezer) - 

Ukraine was ready to negotiate to end the war started by Russia's invasion more than two weeks ago, but would not surrender or accept any ultimatums, the country's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Saturday (Mar 12).

Speaking at a virtual event organized by the non-partisan, nonprofit organization Renew Democracy Initiative, Kuleba said civilian lives would be saved if Ukraine had fighter jets and more attack planes to destroy large military columns.

"We will continue to fight. We are ready to negotiate but we are not going to accept any ultimatums and surrender", Kuleba said, adding that Russia was putting forward demands that were "unacceptable".

Commenting on the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, the Ukrainian foreign minister said it was besieged but still under Ukrainian control.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine that began late in February has resulted in over 2.5 million refugees, with western countries swiftly moving to isolate Russia from world trade and the global financial system as a result.

The foreign minister added that Ukraine needed more military supplies and that more steps were needed to hit the Russian economy despite recent sanctions.

"If we had more planes we would have been able to save many more civilian lives mainly because the main striking force of Russia is in the air and they indiscriminately choose to attack. As we continue to fight we will need more and more weapons," Kuleba added.

Commenting on the role of Belarus, the Ukrainian foreign minister said he believed Belarus was not willing to send troops into Ukraine despite being under pressure from Russia to do so.

"I believe that (Belarus) President Lukashenko sees how, being aware of the casualties of the Russian army in the Ukraine, is not willing to send his troops into Ukraine. We understand that he is under enormous pressure from President Putin to do so", Kuleba said.

The Russian tactics being deployed in Ukraine were similar to what they used in the war in Syria, the foreign minister said//CNA