VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Belgium has shared a vision with Indonesia on promoting tolerance values and international cooperation amid the emergence of extremist movements.

The two countries will jointly carry out their duties as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council (UN SC) for the 2019-2020 period.

"Indonesia and Belgium have a different history, but we both learn from the past that conflict resolution and international cooperation are very important," Belgian Ambassador to Indonesia Stephane De Loecker said at the commemoration of the King`s Day at her residence in Jakartta Thursday night.

On that occasion, Ambassador Loecker emphasized the importance of Belgium and Indonesia collaboration to promote religious freedom and tolerance, and play an active role in fighting all forms of extremism.

European countries including Belgium face a wave of narrow nationalism and populism that remind them of the Dark Age in Europe in the early 20th century.

"Therefore, together with the European Union member countries, we continue to maintain the concept of an open and tolerant society, like Indonesia in defending Pancasila," Ambassador Loecker said.

Pancasila which literally means the five pillars is the official and foundational philosophy of Indonesia.

In addition to having roles in the UNSC, Indonesia and Belgium will welcome the 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2019.

Towards the commemoration, the two countries have shown good cooperation, marked by the visit of Princess Astrid, King Philippe`s sister, along with the Belgian business delegation to Indonesia in 2016. Meanwhile, in 2017 Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla visited the Europalia Arts Festival in Belgium.

In the economic field, the governments of the two countries continue to encourage businesses to explore the potentials for cooperation.

This effort will continue to be enhanced, especially after the signing of the Indonesia and European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which is expected to bring more benefits to both countries. (ANTARA)

The Japanese and Indonesian governments have agreed to develop disaster mitigation cooperation following humanitarian aid and disaster mitigation programs in the wake of a powerful earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi Province.

Disaster mitigation is one of the topics discussed by Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Singapore Thursday.

A press statement from the Japanese Embassy stated that Abe expressed his wish to work with Indonesia in rehabilitating and reconstructing areas affected by the earthquakes as well as in increasing Indonesia’s resilience to disasters.

Japan has been working with Indonesia to rehabilitate and reconstruct the affected areas in Central Sulawesi.

During the emergency response period, Japan provided two C-130H Hercules aircraft and 63 personnel of the self-defense forces to assist the Japanese disaster relief team in transporting supplies and evacuating victims.

Japan has collaborated with the Indonesian Air Force in carrying out 21 flights and transporting at least 200 tons of aid and 400 people.

In addition to providing a number of emergency supplies, such as tents, generators and water purifiers, over 110 Japanese companies have provided funds worth more than Rp26.5 billion (about US$ 1,808,042), and supplied fuel.

The ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Center) supported by Japan has conducted a survey to determine needs at the disaster site and make coordination with related sides in delivering international assistance.

A number of experts who took part in joint Japanese-Indonesian missions have visited Central Sulawesi. Their evaluation and findings are valuable to support rehabilitation and reconstruction programs in the affected areass.

Japan and Indonesia are formulating a master plan for rehabilitation and reconstruction by referring to the Regional Disaster Risk Resilience Plan in Central Sulawesi.

Japan will collaborate with Indonesia to conduct a follow-up survey to evaluate liquefaction risks in Central Sulawesi which is an important base for future spatial plans.

Japan will continue to work with Indonesia to minimize damages caused by earthquakes and tsunamis throughout the country.

Through Equipment Improvement for Disaster Risk Management Project worth Rp202.5 billion (about US $ 13,816,170), Japan will help install broadband seismographs, strong movement seismographs and other supporting equipment in 93 points in Indonesia which are prone to earthquake and tsunami.

Japan will also support the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) to strengthen its capacity in collecting data and analyzing disaster risk information, and use it to formulate local disaster risk reduction plans.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will work with relevant institutions which are responsible for reducing disaster risks and make reconstruction, such as the Ministry of Public Works and Housing. (ANTARA)

RRI Voice of Indonesia once again held the VOI 2018 Literature Award and talk show themed Guratan Pena: Menjayakan Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia” or Encouraging Indonesian Language and Literature." The talk show and the handing over of the award was held at Radio Republik Indonesia, Jakarta, Thursday, 15 November. This is the eighth year for RRI Voice of Indonesia to give appreciation to short story writers of Indonesian diaspora. Secretary of the Language Development and Fostering Agency, Muh. Abdul Khak, in the talk show said, on behalf of the government and the Language Development Board, he appreciated RRI Voice of Indonesia which had organized this extraordinary event. He hoped, in the future, the Language Development and Fostering Agency could work together with RRI Voice of Indonesia in celebrating Indonesian Literature.

"In the future, if later the Language Development and Fostering Agency is asked to cooperate in this context, we welcome it because it is the new task and function of the Language Development and Fostering Agency. There is for example, the center of language and literature development, later there will be language development division, literary development division, which has been a sub-ordinate of languages," said Abdul Khak.

Abdul Khak further explained, every year, the Language Development and Fostering Agency also gave awards to language and literary activists. According to him, next year RRI Voice of Indonesia could work with the Language Development and Fostering Agency to give awards to overseas writers. From a total of 94 short stories that were broadcast by Voice of Indonesia on the Guratan Pena program during 2018, 23 works were entitled to enter the selection round. Based on the selection process, the jury determined 3 (three) literary works to be the winners of the VOI 2018 Literature Award. The first winner is Ayundha Lestari, a migrant worker in Hong Kong, with her short story titled Dunia Sean or Sean’s World, the second winner is Arista Devy, a migrant worker in Hong Kong, with her story titled Rahasia Suki dan Kesaksian Pembantu Pertama or Suki’s Secret and the testimony of the First Assistant, and the third winner is Jassy Ae, a migrant worker in Taiwan, with her story titled Pulang or Coming Home. (VOI/Sekar/AHM)

Ambassador of Brazil to Indonesia Rubem Antônio Corrêa Barbosa, Thursday in Jakarta stated the readiness of Brazil to continue to enhance bilateral cooperation between Brazil and Indonesia. He said that Indonesia is predicted to experience an increase in population to 340 million. According to him, this provides an opportunity for Brazil to cooperate in providing food for the Indonesian people who are also predicted to experience challenges in food production.

He also stated the readiness of Brazil to develop defense cooperation with Indonesia. He said that the two countries have strong reasons to hope that good relations between countries will continue to grow in the future.

"I think that would be another point of closeness between Brazil and Indonesia taking to count that Indonesian population would reach 340 million people in the coming decades and the space for the production of food would not be that huge. Brazil would be here for help. We already have considerable cooperation in the area of defense we would be glad to expand. Anyway, the prospects are good I think that after 6-5 years we have a lot to show and there is a strong ground for good hope in the relationship for the years ahead," said Rubem Antônio Corrêa Barbosa.

Regarding the economic cooperation, the total trade value between Indonesia and Brazil was recorded at 4.05 billion US dollars in 2014. This number increased by 4.8 percent compared to the previous year. While in 2017, bilateral trade between the two countries reached 3.12 billion US dollars, a relatively high achievement for the current world trend. The amount also shows good prospects in increasing the cooperation of the two countries.

In the first half of 2018, two-way trade reached 1.33 billion US dollars. In addition, in early 2018, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (KADIN) formed a special committee to improve trade relations with Brazil. With Gross Domestic Product of US $ 2.05 trillion and US $ 1.01 trillion respectively, Brazil and Indonesia still have space to increase untapped bilateral cooperation. (VOI/NDY/AHM)