VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Since 2014, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has sunk 516 vessels belonging to countries in its neighborhood and even from Indonesia for conducting illegal fishing operations in its waters. These vessels numbered 294 from Vietnam, 92 from the Philippines, 76 from Malaysia, and 23 from Thailand, in addition to two from Papua New Guinea, one each from China, Nigeria and Belize, and 26 from Indonesia.

In addition, from January to June 2019, the ministry has captured 67 illegal vessels consisting of 17 from Malaysia, 15 from Vietnam, three from the Philippines and 32 from Indonesia.

"The success in capturing illegal fishing vessels is inseparable from the integrated monitoring system of air surveillance, sea surveillance and fishing vessel monitoring system (VMS)," the ministry's Acting Director General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Monitoring, Agus Suherman said in his statement Saturday.

The ministry, in collaboration with the Task Force 115, the Attorney General's Office, and other relevant agencies has also eliminated as many as 28 illegal fishing vessels based on court decisions from January to June 2019.

The figure consists of 23 vessels from Vietnam, three from Malaysia, and one each from the Philippines, and Indonesia. These and the ships that have been sunk between October 2014 and June 2019 bring the total to 516.

Earlier, the Indonesian Marine Bachelor Association (Iskindo) appreciated the agreement in the G20 Summit regarding Indonesia's initiative and leadership in combating IUU fishing.

"Although the agreement is non-binding, it will be the concern of the G20 countries in providing support for efforts to reduce the practice of IUU around the world," Iskindo's daily chairman Moh Abdi Suhufan said.

In the G20 forum which took place in Osaka Japan, on June 28 and 29, 2019,

leaders of the G20 countries managed to agree on the commitment to tackle IUU fishing globally.

With such an agreement, the G20 countries would be compelled to take up the issue of IUU fishing within the framework of global cooperation.

"We appreciate the Indonesian government which in the past four years has consistently combated IUU fishing and has opened the eyes of the world on the mode, crime, impact and methods of eradicating IUU fishing through a legal approach," Suhufan emphasized.

The agreement is one of Indonesia's effort at the world level to invite other countries to protect fish resources, according to him.

Indonesia is one of the few countries in the world that has succeeded in increasing fish stocks after its crackdown on IUU fishing practices in its waters, he stressed.

Furthermore, Indonesia is considered necessary to oversee the commitment within international cooperation and program partnerships so the agreement of the heads of state can be followed up at the working level of cooperation.  (ANTARA)

"Garbage in the sea, especially plastic waste, is a big threat, not only for biodiversity and the marine environment, but also for tourism and the fishing industry. Therefore, we invite ASEAN and South Korea to work together to overcome the problem of plastic waste at sea, "said Jose Tavares, Director General of ASEAN Cooperation of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Indonesian Delegation at the 23rd ASEAN-Republic of Korea (RoK) Meeting Dialogue in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (2-3 / 7).

Indonesia led a discussion session on maritime cooperation, fisheries and marine conservation.

Previously, at the 13th East Asia Summit (EAS) Summit on November 15, 2018 in Singapore, EAS State Leaders adopted EAS Leaders' Statement on Regional Plan of Action on Combating Marine Plastic Debris. At the 34th Summit of ASEAN, ASEAN Leaders also adopted the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris.

In addition to maritime cooperation and marine conservation, the 23rd Meeting of the ASEAN-Korea Dialogue also discussed the ASEAN Cultural House (ACH) which was established in Busan, South Korea, and officially opened in 2017 to introduce and promote ASEAN to South Korean communities through cultural channels.

Indonesia conveyed its optimism regarding the potential of ACH in contributing to the increasing closeness of South Korean and ASEAN relations. Indonesia encouraged ACH to be able to make the best use of the moment of organizing the 30th Anniversary of the ASEAN-Korea Partnership Cooperation to be held in Busan to further promote ASEAN to the South Korean community.

"I am sure that Busan and its people have the capacity, creativity and enthusiasm to hold an impressive ASEAN-Korea Partnership Commemoration Summit," continued Jose Tavares.

The 30th Anniversary Commemoration of the ASEAN-Korea Partnership will be held in November. The selection of Busan as the location was the second time after first hosting the 25th Anniversary of the ASEAN-Korea Partnership Cooperation in 2014.

The ASEAN-Korea cooperation has been going well for almost 30 years since 1989. The ASEAN-Korea partnership is further strengthened by increasing the level of partnership cooperation from a comprehensive to a strategic partnership in 2010. Furthermore, to increase cooperation it becomes more concrete, the 17th Summit ASEAN-Korea in Kuala Lumpur, on November 22, 2015, has ratified the ASEAN-RoK Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration of Strategic Partnerships for Peace and Prosperity for the 2016-2020 period.

The ASEAN-RoK Dialogue meeting itself is the annual ASEAN-Korea meeting at the level of the High Official / SOM. The 23rd meeting this time was chaired jointly by His Excellency Emaleen Abd Rahmad Teo, Chair of the ASEAN-Brunei Darussalam SOM and His Excellency Yoon Soon-gu, Chair of the SOM ROK. (Source: ASEAN External Cooperation Directorate)

Indonesia and Saudi Arabia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in digital economy.  The MoU was signed by Indonesian Communication and Informatics Minister Rudiantara and Saudi Minister of Communication and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha in Riyadh.

"We are committed to making this cooperation not just an MoU or a Memorandum of Understanding, but MoA, notably a Memorandum of Action," Rudiantara said in a press statement Thursday.

In the digital economy field, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia have the potential to establish cooperation in Umrah (minor Hajj) Digital Enterprise, as many Indonesian Muslims are eager to go to Saudi for Umrah.

Umrah Digital Enterprise, it is believed, will be able to address problems concerning the Umrah departure process.

The Communication and Informatics Ministry will invite two Indonesian unicorns - Tokopedia and Traveloka, to run the Umrah Digital Enterprise.

"We are proud to present the two Indonesian unicorns - Tokopedia and Traveloka. I believe, this is a beginning of our collaboration in the digital economy to support the 2030 Vision of Saudi Arabia, and the vision of Indonesia, which is the largest digital economy in ASEAN," he said.

Saudi Minister Alswaha lauded the cooperation with Indonesia.

"I believe that this partnership is very unique and special. We establish collaboration with the country having the largest Muslim population in the world. I am sure we could do more extraordinary things," he said. (ant)

Communication and Information Minister Rudiantara departed for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to ink a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of digital economy between both nations.

"This collaboration will contribute to Indonesia's vision to become Asia's Digital Hub next year and also strengthen Indonesia's support for the realization of the Saudi Vision 2030 to continue to develop the non-oil industry sector," Rudiantara remarked in an official statement received here on Wednesday.

Initiation of the collaboration was carried out since the G20 meeting in Dusseldorf, Germany, in 2017. According to the Ministry of Information and Communication, Saudi Arabia was keen to establish cooperation in the field of digital economy after noticing Indonesia's success in creating four unicorn companies.

The cooperation will encourage Saudi Arabia's investment in Indonesia's digital economy sector and is expected to give rise to new unicorn companies. This digital collaboration is also expected to result in an exchange of information, experience, and knowledge among experts, as well as enable the penetration of Indonesia's digital products or technology in Saudi Arabia.

Not only involving the governments, but the Communication and Information Ministry will also rope in young entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises in this collaboration for the next five years. Startup companies, with unicorn status, will also be involved.


Rudiantara noted that Traveloka and Tokopedia will be involved in this collaboration to share experiences with the Government of Saudi Arabia.

Apart from the signing of the memorandum of understanding, the communication and information minister is also scheduled to discuss digital collaboration, including the development of the Digital Umrah Enterprise, 1,000 Digital Innovations, and the establishment of the Digital Task Force.

The NextIcorn program in future will also organize a road show to Saudi Arabia to bring Indonesian startups having the potential to get investment. (ant)