VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia officially began its assignment as the UN Security Council (UNSC) non-permanent member, with Permanent Representative Dian Triansyah Djani unveiling the Red and White flag at the UN Headquarters, New York, the US on Jan 2.

Indonesia’s membership in the UNSC is for the period from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020, the fourth time since having earlier been a non-permanent member of the UNSC during the 1973-1974, 1995-1996, and 2007-2008 period.

At the time of the election of members of the Security Council by all UN member states in June 2018, Indonesia received support in the form of 144 votes from 193 UN member states.

"The magnitude of this support is a form of the international community’s trust in the track record of diplomacy and Indonesian foreign policy that is free and active and plays an important role in maintaining world peace," Ambassador Djani noted in a written statement received in Jakarta on Thursday.

As a member of the UNSC, Indonesia, along with 14 other countries -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, Kuwait, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Peru, and the Dominican Republic -- will be part of the policy formulation process to maintain international peace and security in line with its mandate in the UN Charter.

Since January 1, 2019, Ambassador Djani was also handed over the responsibility as chair of the UNSC 1540 Resolution Committee on weapons of mass destruction, the Sanctions Committee related to terrorism, such as the UNSC 1267 Resolution Sanctions Committee. Apart from this, it will chair the 1988 UNSC Resolution Sanctions Committee.

Indonesia will also be deputy chair of the Sanctions Committee for South Sudan and the Sanctions Committee on Iraq.

Among the 15 UNSC members during the 2019-2020 period, Indonesia is the largest contributor of troops to the UN Security Mission.

Hence, Indonesia will pay attention to increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the UN Peacekeeping Operations, in addition to other global issues.

Apart from Indonesia, other UN member states -- South Africa, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, and Germany -- also began their membership term at the UNSC in the same period.

These countries will replace the non-permanent member states of the UNSC -- Kazakhstan, Bolivia, Ethiopia, the Netherlands, and Sweden -- whose terms of office ended on December 31, 2018. (ANTARA)

Indonesia’s inflation rate in December 2018 reached 0.62 percent, down from 0.71 percent in the same month a year earlier, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) said on Wednesday. The agency stated the December 2018 inflation brought the calendar inflation from January to December 2018 to 3.13 percent and the year-on-year inflation to 3.13 percent. The agency noted that 80 out of 82 cities surveyed for consumer price index (IHK) in December 2018 recorded inflation, and only two cities saw deflation. (ANTARA)

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) is still calculating the losses caused by  the Sunda Strait tsunami that hit five districts in the Indonesian provinces of Banten and Lampung, according to BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

"From the calculation, we will determine the cost for rehabilitation and reconstruction, so that the government can prepare a budget," Nugroho stated in Jakarta on Wednesday.

He mentioned that some of the facilities most needed for disaster management in tsunami-affected areas, especially Pandeglang district, are temporary housing or refugee camps as well as temporary classes for children.

He also mentioned that more than 11 thousand refugees in Pandeglang district currently took shelter in some 41 school buildings that have not been used due to New Year holidays.

"However, on Monday (Jan 7), the students will start going to school, and so the refugees need to be moved," he explained.

He further revealed that some refugees in Pandeglang district took shelter in school buildings not because their houses were damaged, but they were traumatized by the tsunami. Some of them were also afraid of the possibility of a subsequent tsunami.

"Therefore, the local government of Pandeglang district will ask them to return to their respective homes," Nugroho added.

The Sunda Strait tsunami occurred following an eruption and partial collapse of the Anak Krakatau volcano on Saturday (Dec 22).

Five districts are affected in the two tsunami-hit provinces, namely Pandeglang and Serang in Banten Province as well as South Lampung, Pesawaran, and Tanggamus in Lampung Province. (ANTARA)

The government will continue to improve the implementation of the social forestry program in 2019 and prepare some 13 million hectares of land to be distributed under the program.

Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya noted in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday that the social forestry program will be carried forward in 2019, and the government has prepared some 13 million hectares of land.

The minister admitted that forest management by the public was still much lesser as compared to that by the private sector, with a ratio of 95:5.

"Within the next five to six years, we hope to be able to distribute some 12 to 13 million hectares of land and the ratio of forest management by private sectors to the public could reach 70:30," Nurbaya noted at a discussion on the ministry`s performance.

She called on all ranks of the ministry to focus on the program and to not be distracted by the political situation ahead of the general elections.

"We have to continue these good things since early of the year. Thus, all will be prepared when the cabinet has ended its period. I have prepared the measures to ease the process," Nurbaya explained.

The minister has applauded the good work of all personnel in the ministry that it could receive 93 awards during the 2014-2018 period for its sound management in the areas of the budget, staffing, state property, administration, technology, and information.

"I thank all ranks of the ministry and partners. This achievement cannot be separated from the improvement in bureaucratic performance that has fostered hope and trust," she added. (ANTARA)