VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia`s Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi on a statement received by ANTARA News Agency on Saturday said has offered her condolences, on behalf of the government and people of Indonesia, over the demise of former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan on Saturday. According to a statement made by a foundation named after him on Saturday, Annan passed away peacefully after a short illness,
Annan became the seventh secretary general and the first black African to hold the job. The Nobel Peace Laureate in 2001 died in a hospital in the Swiss city of Bern. He had been living in Geneva for several years. In his capacity as a special envoy to end conflict in Rakhine State, Myanmar, Annan and Marsudi had been working closely to find a way to resolve it peacefully. Annan had also visited Indonesia as one of prominent speakers in Indonesia-led Bali Democracy Forum in 2016. He lauded Indonesia`s way of life called "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" or unity in diversity as a great example for the world. During his visit to Indonesia in 2016, Annan had also met Indonesia`s President Joko Widodo and discussed various regional and international issues. (ANTARA)

The Afghan Ambassador to Indonesia, Roya Rahmani, acknowledged the importance of improving relations between people or people to people contact in an effort to encourage the increase of cooperation between Indonesia and Afghanistan. She said, in the past two years, Indonesia and Afghanistan had experienced a significant increase in the exchange of public visits between the two countries.  Ambassador Roya Rahmani in an interview with Voice of Indonesia in Jakarta, recently mentioned that Afghanistan and Indonesia contribute to business exhibitions which are an important foundation in introducing the second business potential Country. In the near future, she added, Afghanistan will hold trade exhitions in Indonesia.

"In the early next or maybe next year we are already planning to have significant trade exhibitions specifically from Afghanistan to Indonesia, where they are coming from a very big volume to exhibit their products. Also the highest numbers of Afghan merchants and businesses have come to Indonesia in the past. 2 International Trade Expos of Indonesia. We are one of the top 5 countries in terms of the numbers of the companies who are visiting Indonesia during the trade exhibitions. So with these things and also recognizing the fact that people to people relations, the connection between companies, the private sector is the only step to move forward, so as a first stepping stone we have has been able to increase these exchanges and there is a lot more in the pipe to come," Roya Rahmani said.

Furthermore, the Afghan Ambassador to Indonesia, Roya Rahmani, said that in recent years, the trade volume between Indonesia and Afghanistan had also increased. Although trade between the two countries still involved third parties, it was an undeniable aspect and has contributed to trade relations between Indonesia and Afghanistan. In addition, in an effort to improve trade relations between the two countries, the Afghan Ambassador said she is collaborating with the Indonesian government to encourage the establishment of regulations that would facilitate economic relations between Indonesia and Afghanistan, so both countries can see the opportunity to increase wider economic cooperation. VOI/Ndy/AHM)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) officially opened the Asian Games, the XVIII Asian Games in 2018, at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (GBK), Senayan, Jakarta, Saturday (8/18) night. Previously President Jokowi said that on behalf of all Indonesian people, he was proud and honored on the arrival of distinguished guests from 45 countries. Through the Asian Games XVIII, the President continued, Asian nations wanted to show that they are all brothers and sisters. He also stated that in the 18th Asian Games, all nations in Asia seek to show kinship between countries. Before President Jokowi opened the event, an Indonesia singer, Tulus led the audience to sing Indonesian national anthem, Indonesia Raya, followed by a moment of silence for the victims of the earthquake in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). Subsequently, Indonesia Asian Games 2018 Organizing Committee (INASGOC) Chair Erick Tohir delivered his report, followed by a remark by Asian Olympic Council (OCA) President Syekh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah. As previously reported, the Asian Games XVIII is participated in by around 16,000 athletes from 45 participating countries, held in Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra, on August 18 to September 2. As the Host of the Asian Games, Indonesia sends 1,388 people consisting of 938 athletes, 396 officials who will take part in the 40 sports events. (Release Setkab)

Welcoming the grand event of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra, as well as parts of West Java, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism is increasingly aggressively promoting Indonesian tourism in various ways.  One of them is through cooperation with several industries and tourism association actors in various regions by preparing more than 70 tour packages with seven leading destinations. The seven leading destinations are Jakarta, West Java, South Sumatra, Central Java, Yogyakarta, Banyuwangi, and Bali. According to Deputy Minister of Tourism for Marketing and Tourism Cooperation, I Gde Pitana, in Jakarta, recently, Komodo, Raja Ampat, and Manado which are also included in Indonesia's leading tourist destinations, were not included in the tour package, because of the distance from the Asian Games venue. // Therefore, the ministry only makes promotions to make tourists know and want to visit Komodo, Raja Ampat and Manado in the future.

"Because according to our discussion with the industry, the travelers, it seems that it will be difficult to invite tourists who come to Palembang, and to Jakarta to see the Asian Games to be drawn directly to Komodo. But we hope that they will soon know about Komodo dragons or Raja Ampat, or Manado when they watch the Asian Games, so they will be more aware,” I Gde Putana said.

Related to the 2018 Asian Games tour package, I Gde Pitana predicted sports tourists such as athletes, officials, supporters are around 24,000 people from 45 participating countries. He said the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism only facilitates travel agents under the Association of Tour Agents and Indonesian Travel in designing the tour.(VOI/Rezha/AHM)