VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi held a bilateral meeting at the 8th Joint Ministerial Consultations with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of New Zealand, Winston Peters in Jakarta on Friday  (05/10). Besides agreeing on comprehensive partnership between the two countries, the two foreign ministers also discussed Indo Pacific concept that has been earlier announced by Indonesia. Through a joint press conference, Minister Winston Peters  said that his side wants to cooperate to create a substantial concept.

 

“Today I also said on the issue of trade comprehensive partnership that we discussed the side issues, not only security, ongoing engagement, human connection, people connection, but also trade connection.  We also spent some time to talk about Indo Pacific and what it means to us and Indonesia and the people in the Pacific and how we to work together in the substance, not only just ideas,” said Winston Peters. 

Minister Winston Peters  further said that New Zealand explained its willingness to maintain dialogue and cooperation that has been done with ASEAN. New Zealand wants to learn the details how ASEAN looks at the concept of Indo-Pacific as a concept aimed at optimizing the existing  cooperation. Related to the Indo-Pacific concept, Indonesia has explained that the concept will make ASEAN play a central role or has centrality as a multilateral institution. (Rezha/Trans by AF/ AHM)

 

Arian Sadiqi, the Chief de Mission of the Afghanistan delegates for Asian Para Games on Thursday in Jakarta stated that Afghanistan's participation in the Asian Para Games was an achievement for Afghanistan. He said that considering the current conditions of war facing the Afghan people. Nevertheless, he stated that the Afghan athletes for the games tried to get the highest achievement at the Asian Para Games in Jakarta. Apart from the war conditions facing the Afghan people, Arian Sadiqi said that Afghan athletes had trained to compete at the Asian Para Games scheduled to he held on 6 to 13 October 2018.

 

"Yes, the fact that we are here and participating in a big game, and we are hoping that despite the war and obstacles we have, we try our best to be part of the international family and to move forward. Preparation is fine but obviously because we have lack of infrastructure, lack of training facilities, we don't have the capacity to really compete with international neighbors but we wish our best and God willing we will win something," Arian Sadiqi said.

The Afghan Athlete Delegation targets to get 5 or 6 gold medals at the Asian Para Games competition. Arian Sadiqi said the Afghan delegation consists of 17 officials and 24 athletes. The 2018 Asian Para Games will be attended by 2,831 athletes from 43 countries. They will compete in 18 sports. As the host, Indonesia sent around 300 athletes with targets to enter the top 10 with 16 or 17 gold medals.  (VOI/Andy/AHM)

 

Eight Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) will be signed at the third annual meeting or Leader's Retreat between Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong in Nusa Dua, Bali on 11 October 2018. The four memorandums of understanding are scheduled to be signed by the minister or minister-level officials, while the other four MoUs will be signed by high officials from relevant institutions / ministries and representatives of State-Owned Enterprises. According to the Director of Southeast Asia of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denny Abdi in a media briefing held in Jakarta, Thursday, October 4, 2018 the eight memoranda of understanding are in the fields of investment cooperation, culture, health, maritime, industry, financial technology, and tourism.

 

"The first is the Agreement on Protection of Investment, the second is the Cultural Cooperation Program for 2019-2022, Concerning Cooperation in the Field of Arts and Heritage, the third is the MoU on Health Cooperation, the fourth is the MoU on Financial Technology Cooperation, the fifth is Instrument of Extension for the MoU Concerning Cooperation on the Human Resources Development on the Maritime Field, the sixth MoU is on the Cooperation for Development and Implementation for Industry 4.0, then the seventh and the eighth MoU are on the Program for Financial Technology Learning for Higher Education and MoU on Cruise Tourism cooperation between Pelindo III and Star Cruise," said Denny Abdi. 

Denny further said that several memorandums of understanding to be signed are a follow-up to the previous meeting between President Jokowi and PM Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore in 2017. At the meeting the two leaders agreed to cooperate in the digital economy which has great potential to be developed by both countries. Singapore as a country that has excellent global connectivity is expected to be a hub for Indonesia to develop and expand the digital economy. Indonesia itself has the potential for good digital economic growth with the large number of internet users, penetration of social media users, and cellular phone customers dominated by millenials or the younger generation. (VOI / Rezha/AHM)

 

Indonesia once again received assistance for handling post-earthquake disasters accompanied by tsunamis that occurred in Palu, Donggala, Sigi, and Parigi Moutong, Central Sulawesi. The assistance provided by New Zealand was in the form of electricity generators or generators, tarpaulins, and water storage containers which were transported using the C-130 Hercules aircraft belonging to the New Zealand Air Force. The plane has now departed for Mutiara Sis Al Jufri Airport in Palu after dropping in at Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan International Airport, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan on Thursday (4/10). This was conveyed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) Retno Marsudi in a press statement after holding a bilateral meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters in Jakarta, Friday (5/10).

 

"Specifically regarding disaster management, Indonesia expressed its appreciation for the condolences, sympathy and assistance provided by the New Zealand Government to the victims and families of victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi. One New Zealand C-130 aircraft arrived in Balikpapan at 20.47 yesterday local time which brought assistance including generators, tarps, water containers. And the plane will continue the trip to Palu today," said Retno Marsudi. 

In addition, the minister also stated that the New Zealand Government also stated that it would disburse financial assistance worth 5 million New Zealand Dollars or around Rp.49 billion which would then be channeled through the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). (VOI / Rezha/AHM)