VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian delegation participating in the eighth round of the Indonesia-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (ICA-CEPA) negotiations held in Ottawa, Canada, on June 24-28, 2024. (ANTARA/HO-DJKI Kemenkumham) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : The Indonesian Ministry of Law and Human Rights stated that the eighth round of the Indonesia-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (ICA-CEPA) negotiations agreed on potential stronger cooperation in protecting intellectual property.

"The Indonesia and Canada cooperation especially covers the micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) sector and communal intellectual property," the ministry's Director for Cooperation and Education, Yasmon, noted in a statement from his ministry here on Monday.

He explained that the ICA-CEPA plays a strategic role in bolstering intellectual property cooperation between Indonesia and Canada. This, he said, is because the two countries have strong economic cooperation, with Indonesia being Canada's leading partner in Southeast Asia in terms of trade cooperation.

Yasmon noted that in the eighth round of negotiations, held in Ottawa on June 24-28, the discussions focused on matters about patents, trade secrets, copyright, and geographical indications.

In addition to closer cooperation in the field of intellectual property, Yasmon stated that the eighth round of ICA-CEPA negotiations also succeeded in reaching an agreement regarding the subject of patents, grace periods, and patent publication.

Meanwhile, regarding trade secrets, he pointed out that further discussions were still necessary on several aspects, especially concerning the protection of confidential information relating to government employees.

At the eighth round of negotiations, the Indonesian delegation was led by Yasmon.

The ICA-CEPA was first launched on June 20, 2021, and since then, eight rounds of negotiations have been held.

The ninth round of negotiations is scheduled to be held in September 2024, and the negotiations are planned to be concluded in Indonesia in the same year//Antara-VOI

Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Monday (July 1, 2024). (ANTARA/Mentari Dwi Gayati) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : The government plans to take coordinated measures to tackle the deteriorating air quality in Jakarta, according to Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno.

Uno underlined that the government had earlier dealt with a similar issue during the preparations for the 43rd ASEAN Summit held in Indonesia's capital city last year.

"We will simply emulate the measures we took during the preparations for last year's ASEAN Summit to reduce air pollution," he remarked at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Monday.

To ensure better air quality for delegates of the 43rd ASEAN Summit last year, the government applied the work-from-home scheme for civil servants and conducted weather modification.

Uno then noted that the worsening air quality in Jakarta presents a danger, especially to those often indulging in outdoor sports and exercise.

"Last year, I experienced a respiratory problem due to my outdoor workout routine," he pointed out.

However, the minister noted that the poor air quality in the capital city and its surroundings had yet to adversely affect the tourism sector and the holding of sports events.

"Thank God, two big events held recently, namely BTN Jakarta International Marathon and LPS Monas Half Marathon, went successfully," he remarked.

According to air monitoring site IQAir, the air quality in Jakarta still stands in the category of unhealthy as of Monday at 6:15 local time, ranking in the top five among the cities with the worst air pollution globally.

The site recommends that people in Jakarta refrain from venturing outdoors and wear masks if they need to go outside. People are also advised to close their windows to avoid air pollution in their houses//Antara-VOI

Tourists arrive at the International Arrivals Terminal at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Badung, Bali, Monday (10/6/2024). (ANTARA FOTO/FIKRI YUSUF) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno stated that tourist arrivals in Indonesia are still increasing despite the recent cyberattack on the Temporary National Data Center (PDNS) 2 that affected immigration services.

"As of today, tourist arrivals at the three main gates (Jakarta, Bali, Riau Islands) are still growing well. I checked this morning that in Bali, it stood at 20 thousand (arrivals), a growth of above 30 percent as compared to last year," he remarked here on Monday.

Uno spoke about his ministry having recently conducted a desktop audit focused on documentation and certification to ensure audits were always factual and accurate.

He noted that the system in the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is ready to provide public services. However, he underlined that the cyberattack on PDNS 2 that had earlier affected immigration services should be resolved promptly.

According to the minister, this step is essential to ensure the cyberattack will not disrupt foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia.

Regarding the cyberattack on PDNS 2, on a separate occasion, Director General of Immigration at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights Silmy Karim stated that the immigration authority would prepare the fastest data backup system among other ministries and institutions.

Karim made this statement at a press conference on efforts to recover the immigration services held in Jakarta on Friday (June 28).

He affirmed that the system can back up data in just an hour at the latest if a cyberattack occurs again.

When the PDNS was under a ransomware attack on Thursday (June 20), the Directorate General of Immigration only took two days to save data through backup in the Immigration Data Center//Antara - VOI

The "Indonesia Expo 2024" exhibition opened at the Palm Drive Activity Center, Glorietta 2, Makati City, Philippines, on Friday (June 28, 2024). (Photo by: ANTARA/HO-KBRI Manila)

VOINews, Jakarta: The Indonesian Embassy in Manila is hosting the Indonesia Expo 2024 at the Palm Drive Activity Center, Glorietta 2, Makati City from June 28 to 30, 2024, to showcase Indonesian products and culture in the Philippines.

In his opening remarks on Friday (June 28), Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines Agus Widjojo highlighted that this exhibition is one of the Embassy's efforts to enhance mutual understanding and foster closer economic collaboration between Indonesia and the Philippines.

“The Indonesia Expo 2024 is a tangible manifestation of the Indonesian Embassy's mission in Manila to strengthen economic and cultural relations with the host country,” Ambassador Widjojo stated in a written statement on Saturday.

As reportd by Antara The exhibition’s theme, “Build Strong Connection with the Best of Indonesia in the Philippines,” reflects the Embassy’s commitment to bringing high-quality Indonesian products to the Philippine market and providing visitors with a rich Indonesian cultural experience.

A variety of cultural performances, live bands, and side events are planned to entertain visitors throughout the three-day exhibition. These include angklung workshops, cooking demonstrations, coffee brewing, and Batik painting.

Participants of the Indonesia Expo 2024 include established Indonesian companies already present in the Philippine market, as well as Filipino importers distributing Indonesian products.

The exhibition features a wide range of product categories, including halal food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, herbal medicines, confectionery, fashion and accessories, household products, logistics and surveying services, health and beauty products, and stationery.

This diverse mix of products aims to showcase Indonesia’s top offerings and business opportunities to meet various needs and preferences of the Philippine market.

The Indonesia Expo has grown significantly since its first event in 2022 at SM Megamall and its second in 2023 at The Music Hall, SM Mall of Asia.

Each year, the Indonesian Embassy in Manila strives to expand its offerings and refine the exhibition concept to provide the best representation of Indonesian products to the Philippine market and better service to exhibitors. This growth reflects the increasing interest and significance of Indonesian products in the Philippines.

The opening of the Indonesia Expo 2024 was attended by ambassadors and representatives from ASEAN member countries, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, the Indonesian Consul General in Davao, the Mayor of Makati City, the Philippine Halal Export and Promotion Board, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Los Banos, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese Filipino Business Club, Inc., Expedia Management Inc., the Philippine Marketing Association, and the Philippine Coffee Board./Antara/VOI.