VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia's men's doubles team of Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani (right) pose for a photo with Indonesia's men's doubles team of Leo Rolly Carnando/Bagas Maulana (left) after their "civil war" match in the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Open 2024 at the Hong Kong Coliseum on Saturday (Sep 14, 2024). (Photo by: ANTARA/HO-PBSI/aa.)

Regional Administration Development Acting Director General Amran. (ANTARA/HO-Humas Kemendagri)

VOI News, Jakarta: The Indonesian Ministry of Home Affairs is collaborating with several government agencies for the certification of customary lands owned by customary communities across Indonesia.

As reported by Antara News Agency on Saturday (14/9), the agencies working with the ministry include the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.

"By exchanging information and experiences in handling customary land issues, we expect that problems or obstacles in registering customary land can be resolved collaboratively," noted Acting Director General of Regional Administration Development, Amran, in a statement from his office on Saturday. To emphasize the authority of regional governments in determining customary lands, the ministry’s Directorate General of Regional Administration Development held a coordination meeting on Thursday (September 12) to establish a Customary Land Data and Information System.

In addition to sharing experiences, this cooperation aims to ensure that all ministries can align their data on customary land areas owned by customary communities.

Each agency will also synchronize regulations to expedite the completion of customary land certification.

In the statement, Head of the Sub-Directorate of Customary Land and Communal Rights of the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Setyo Anggraini highlighted the myriad benefits that customary communities stand to garner if they certify their customary land. She noted that certification will provide legality for their land, thereby reducing future disputes. Furthermore, it will strengthen the communities' position in the event of any land-related issues arising in the future.

“With this certification, the government believes that the customary communities' rights to land ownership will remain guaranteed, which represents a form of the government's recognition of the existence of customary communities in the country," she pointed out.

Archives - Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi when met at the Pancasila Building in the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs complex, Jakarta, Wednesday (8/21/2024). Jakarta/Nabil Ihsan.

VOI News, Jakarta: Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi underlined that her role as United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres' special envoy for water affairs marks her as the first Indonesian to be appointed as special envoy to the UNSG.

"This appointment is the first time (that) an Indonesian has been trusted to become the special envoy of the UNSG," the minister noted in a broadcast by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via the YouTube platform, monitored online  on Friday (13/9).

As reported by Antara News Agency on Saturday (14/9),Minister  Marsudi considered the appointment to be a matter of great honor for herself and Indonesia, especially since she is also the first UNSG Special Envoy on Water to the UNSG, with the position being a new one.

Marsudi further conveyed her decision to accept the new mandate had been made in consultation with President Joko Widodo, who gave her blessings to carry out the assignment at the UN level.

"President-elect Prabowo Subianto also gave his full support for this appointment," the minister pointed out.

Minister Marsudi stated that  she would take on her new role on November 1, 2024, after having fulfilled her responsibilities as foreign minister in President Jokowi's government.

The minister ensured optimally tapping into her experience as a diplomat spanning almost four decades, including as foreign minister for 10 years, to carry out the international assignment.

Several tasks that Marsudi would carry out as UNSG's special envoy include strengthening partnerships and joint efforts to advance the world's water agenda, including following up on the results of the 2023 UN Water Conference.

Moreover, she is tasked with enhancing global cooperation and synergy in international processes to support international water targets, including the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.

Marsudi also shoulders the responsibility of championing water issues to make them a major political agenda both within and outside the UN, as well as mobilizing action and funding sources to address the global water crisis and encourage the fulfillment of global water targets.

National Symposium with the theme "Forest Product Standards in a Circular Economy for Green Construction" which took place in Jakarta (12/9/2024), (Photo : KLHK Ministry) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) through the LHK Standardization and Instruments Agency held a National Symposium with the theme "Forest Product Standards in a Circular Economy for Green Construction". The event which took place in Jakarta (12/9/2024) aimed to discuss the important role of forest product standards in supporting sustainable development, especially in the construction sector.

In his remarks, the Head of the LHK Standardization and Instruments Agency, Ary Sudijanto, emphasized the urgency of using certified and sustainably managed forest products. According to him, sustainably produced wood can not only preserve biodiversity, but also contribute to reducing carbon emissions and supporting a circular economy.

"The building industry currently contributes 39% of global CO2 emissions. Using wood as a carbon neutral material can reduce emissions significantly," said Ary.

This symposium also discussed the importance of integrating forest product standards in green construction to address the challenges of climate change and the biodiversity crisis.

The participants, consisting of academics, business actors and other stakeholders, discussed the development of new standards that can support sustainable forest management and encourage sustainable growth of the forestry industry.

"By implementing the right standards, we can improve the quality of forest products, support international trade, and contribute to green economic development," added Ary.

One of the important points discussed in this symposium was the role of the circular economy in forest management. Circular economy principles which emphasize reducing waste and maximizing resource utilization are considered very relevant to efforts to preserve forests and sustainable development.

This national symposium presented several speakers, including Prof. Dr. Lina Karlinasari, S.Hut., M.Sc.F.Trop, from IPB University, Ha Kyungsoo, Forestry Attache of the Embassy of the Republic of South Korea, and Chair of the Indonesian Wood Panel Association.

It is hoped that the results of this symposium can become the basis for formulating policies and developing more comprehensive forest product standards, so that they can support sustainable development in Indonesia//VOI