VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong will again hold an annual meeting or the third Leader's Retreat on the sidelines of the World Annual Monetary Fund- Bank Group (IMF-WBG) in Nusa Dua, Bali. The two leaders are scheduled to meet on October 11, 2018 or prior to the ASEAN Leaders Gathering which is also held on the same day. On this occasion, the two heads of state will also sign an agreement related to the Promotion of Investment Protection between Indonesia and Singapore. The agreement is a bilateral agreement related to investments signed by Indonesia and friendly countries. In the future the agreement will be used as a model for strengthening investment between Indonesia and friendly countries. This was explained by the Director of Southeast Asia of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Denny Abdi in a media briefing session held in Jakarta, Thursday, October 4, 2018.

 

"We also encourage investment cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore at that time before the head of state sign an agreement regarding the promotion of investment protection between Indonesia and Singapore. So if you might have known, since 2014 the Indonesian government reviewed the approval of bilateral investment treaty between Indonesia and friendly countries. Now what will be signed with Singapore will be the first bilateral investment treaty that Indonesia has signed with a friendly country. So that it is expected that in the future it will become a model for strengthening investment between Indonesia and friendly countries," said Denny Abdi. 

In addition to focusing on increasing investment cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore, Denny said the meeting between President Jokowi and PM Lee Hsien Loong would also discuss increasing cooperation in training and education. Singapore, which has excellence in the education sector, is expected to become a partner for Indonesia to increase the ability and competitiveness of the young generation in Indonesia, which is quite large. Furthermore, Denny explained that the form of cooperation included the establishment of polytechnics that adopt the Singapore education system and curriculum. One of the polytechnics has been established in Kendal Industrial Park, Central Java and focuses on the furniture or furniture industry. In the future, according to Denny, similar polytechnics will be re-established in a number of regions in Indonesia with different focus in each region. Then at the same time the Indonesian Government will also send Indonesian students to get training and education in a number of educational institutions or institutions in Singapore. (VOI / Rezha/AHM) 

 

Ten heads of state or heads of government of ASEAN member countries are scheduled to hold an ASEAN Leaders Gathering meeting on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank or the World Bank Group (IMF-WBG) in Nusa Dua, Bali. The meeting is scheduled to be held on October 11, 2018 and specifically will discuss efforts to increase ASEAN synergy with international efforts related to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and ASEAN 2025 Vision. Indonesian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir in media briefing in Jakarta, Thursday, October 4 2018 said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund will attend the meeting.

 

"It is deliberately held back to back with the IMF-World Bank Annual Meeting. Well, the IMF World Bank is actually a ministerial level meeting. However, for this time Indonesia has invited 10 ASEAN countries led by the heads of state and the heads of government to be present at this meeting. The main objective of the ASEAN Leaders Gathering meeting is to take advantage of the presence of the UN Secretary General, the President of the World Bank and the Managing Director of the IMF to discuss and enhance synergies related to the sustainable development of ASEAN countries as well as international efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The theme of the meeting was Achieving SDGs and Overcoming Development Goals Through Regional and Global Collaborative Action," said Armanatha Nasir. 

Arrmanatha further explained that the meeting initiated by Indonesia would also try to discuss measures to strengthen stability, integration and accelerate economic development in the Southeast Asian region. This meeting will also be used by ASEAN to demonstrate the successful development of ASEAN member countries in the past 50 years. Arrmanatha said that ASEAN today is an area with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 2.5 trillion US dollars. The GDP has managed to put ASEAN as a region with the sixth largest economy in the world and third in Asia with an average growth of 4.8 percent or above the world average growth. According to Arrmanatha, ASEAN is currently working to maintain stable growth and ensure fair growth, maintain growth and resilience in the context of the economy. (VOI/Rezha/AHM)

 

The Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the International Monetary Fund. WBG) in Nusa Dua, Bali. The two leaders are scheduled to meet on October 12, 2018 to discuss a number of issues regarding strengthening trade and investment cooperation. The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Southeast Asia Director, Denny Abdi in a media briefing held in Jakarta, Thursday, October 4, 2018 explained that Indonesia and Vietnam are currently exploring the potentials of the two countries. These potentials include industrial technology and digital economy. In addition, the two countries are also trying to increase the value of trade by eliminating trade barriers that reduce the competitiveness of export products in each country. One example is trade barriers faced by Indonesian automotive products that will enter Vietnam.

 

"And we try to see the industry collaboration that has great potential in the future. In this case the technological industries and digital economy are back again. Well, so with Vietnam we have what we call the same potential and indeed we need to strengthen coordination. Well, one of the challenges we are trying to overcome in the field is trying to facilitate trade between the two countries. So the two countries are the same - both want to increase the trade between the two countries. As we all know, for example, Indonesian automotive goes to Vietnam, so we make sure that in these meetings, Indonesian export products will not have obstacles," said Denny Abdi.

Denny further said that it is expected that with the bilateral meeting between President Jokowi and Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Indonesia and Vietnam could jointly improve their economic growth. Denny Abdi added, as a friendly country and fellow members of ASEAN Indonesia and Vietnam should support each other to increase economic growth in the midst of uncertain global economic conditions. Regarding cooperation between Indonesia and Vietnam, on a bilateral visit of President Jokowi on September 13 2018, an Action Plan for the Implementation of Indonesia-Vietnam Strategic Partnership for 2019-2023 was signed. The agreed action plan aims to expand the field of partnership between Indonesia and Vietnam such as industrial innovation and intellectual property, creative economy, digital economy, and human resource development in order to face the Industrial Revolution 4.0. (VOI / Rezha/AHM)

Indonesian Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Yohana Yambisse expressed her concern over the conflict in Afghanistan. According to her, women and children are the most disadvantaged when there is a conflict in a country. On a reception of commemorating the 99th Afghan National Day in Jakarta on Thursday, she expressed the commitment of the Indonesian government to encourage the empowerment of women in Afghanistan. She also expressed Indonesia's readiness to cooperate with Afghanistan in terms of empowering these women.

 

"As the Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, I know exactly when conflict occurs, women and children are usually the one affected the most. Indonesia strongly supports women empowerment efforts in Afghanistan. It is a commitment to provide various cooperation programs in this field. Indonesia is also a provider of advanced entrepreneurship and special skills set to advance the economic growth," said Yohana Yembisse. 

 

Meanwhile the Afghan Ambassador to Indonesia Roya Rahmani expressed her appreciation for Indonesia's support for Afghanistan. According to her, Indonesia has shown its commitment in supporting Afghanistan despite many international media reports on negative things related to Afghanistan. (VOI/Andy/AHM)