VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

KBRN, Santiago: The Indonesian Ministry of Trade (MoT) is encouraging the penetration of Indonesian products to South America through Chile. It was conveyed by the Director General of National Export Development (PEN) of the Ministry of Trade Didi Sumedi as the leader of the Indonesian Trade Mission Delegation to Chile on 9-10 May 2024. "The Ministry of Trade is committed to continuing to encourage Indonesian products to enter non-traditional markets, one of which is the South American region. Chile has a strategic position among other South American countries because it can be an entry point for Indonesian products to the South American region," Didi said.

Didi also said that this trade mission aims to encourage increased trade potential and economic partnership between the two countries after the implementation of IC-CEPA in 2019. "Through the utilisation of the IC-CEPA trade agreement, the potential value of trade between the two countries can still be increased to USD 1 billion. The Trade Mission to Chile is also a form of the Ministry of Trade's contribution in supporting the National Export Enhancement Task Force, and Chile is one of the priority countries targeted to increase exports," Didi said.

Chile is a country with a very open economy. Chile has signed 34 free trade agreements (FTAs) with 64 countries including Indonesia. IC-CEPA alone eliminates 89.6 per cent of the total tariff posts. Therefore, Indonesian businesses can take advantage of it through the use of the Certificate of Origin (SKA) Form IC-CEPA. "IC-CEPA has had a positive impact on increasing the value of Indonesia-Chile trade by 21.73 per cent compared to the value of trade before IC-CEPA," said Djatmiko.

In this trade mission, there were nine business players and associations participating. The businesses and associations are engaged in various sectors such as palm oil products and their derivatives, pesticides, chemical products, vehicle parts, and packaging. Meanwhile, the Indonesia-Chile business forum attended by more than 70 Chilean business players, followed by one on one business matching between Indonesian companies and Chilean business players, has successfully recorded potential transactions worth USD 7.45 million or Rp 119.20 billion. Potential transactions were generated from palm oil products and their derivatives, motor vehicle parts, and plastic packaging. In addition, a business meeting was also held with the Chilean Confederation of Industries (Sociedad de Fomento Fabril/ SOFOFA) and representatives of the Chilean Government in the field of international economic relations (Subsecretatia de Relaciones Economicas Internationales Chile/SUBREI).

The meeting aimed to encourage the involvement of Indonesian and Chilean businesses, as well as broader cooperation and mutual benefit for both countries. In a series of trade missions to Chile, a number of business visits were made, namely to Jumbo Supermarket, an importer of Mannheim automotive parts, an importer of Area Design furniture, and an importer of Indonesian bicycles, Cross Mountain. Jumbo Supermarket, which is the largest retailer in South America, has imported noodle products from Indonesia with several variants and flavours. Jumbo Supermarket expressed interest in trying coconut products from Indonesia. In response, Didi welcomed and will facilitate Jumbo's meeting with Indonesian companies that produce coconut products.

In addition, during a visit to Chile's leading importer of vehicle parts, Mannheim, the Ministry of Trade facilitated a meeting between Indonesian vehicle parts businesses and Chilean importers. The Ministry of Trade also supports other potential automotive parts products to enter the Chilean market. Didi Sumedi, the leader of the Indonesian trade delegation, said that in addition to food and vehicle parts, the growth potential of the furniture industry in Chile is also very promising. During a visit to Area Design, a prestigious furniture supply company in Chile, Didi found that 70 per cent of its products come from Indonesia.

Didi believes that through the preferential tariff scheme of the IC-CEPA, which has entered the implementation stage, the performance of Indonesian furniture exports to Chile will continue to increase. "Moreover, because Indonesian furniture products can compete in the Chilean market in terms of price with similar products from other countries," Didi added.

Meanwhile, at a meeting with Cross Mountain, which is a well-known importer of sports products in Chile, Didi invited Cross Mountain, which has also imported mountain bikes from Polygon Indonesia, to take advantage of the IC-CEPA tariff reduction scheme to increase the volume and value of bicycle imports from Indonesia. "Bicycles are one of the products that receive preferential tariffs on import duty reductions under the IC-CEPA scheme," Didi concluded.

Source: Indonesian Ministry of Trade

VOInews, Jakarta: The Indonesian government through the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemns Israel's extreme actions in vandalizing and blockading aid for the people of Gaza.

"Indonesia strongly condemns the blockade and destruction carried out by Israeli civilians against humanitarian assistance from the international community for the people of Gaza," the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on its social media account on Thursday (16/5).

The ministry said the Israeli government's omission showed Israel's attempt to block the entry of humanitarian aid.

"The omission by the Israeli security forces proves Israel's position that continues to try to obstruct in various ways the distribution of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. This action should be dealt with firmly and ensured that it does not happen again," said the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Therefore, Indonesia asks the UN Security Council to ensure the smooth delivery of humanitarian assistance.

"The guarantee of smooth humanitarian assistance is very important. The Security Council must ensure guarantees from Israel for the smooth delivery of humanitarian assistance, in order to prevent the worsening of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza," the Foreign Ministry said.

Head of the Village Information and Development Agency, Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration of the Republic of Indonesia, Ivanovich Agusta giving his remarks (Photo : Perpusnas) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : Head of the Village Information and Development Agency, Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration of the Republic of Indonesia, Ivanovich Agusta said, to build a village, a community reading garden (TBM) and village libraries are needed. This is one measure village development. 

He conveyed this at the National Sector Coordination Meeting (Rakornas). Library which took place at the Mercure Hotel, Jakarta on Tuesday (14/5/2024).

Ivan was a speaker on the theme "Village Fund Policy in the Construction and Development of Village Libraries and Reading Materials Quality.”

Participants participated in this activity in a hybrid manner, online via the Zoom application and live broadcasts on the National Library channel on YouTube, as well as face to face or offline. 

"If you look at the village, there is a village development index which is a measure for get village funds. There is a social resilience index and an educational aspect. "The condition is that the village must have a TBM with a village library or another name," he said.

Ivan explained that the 2016 Village Regulations in which libraries played a role were 0.8 percent of total village development. 2023 data that has There are libraries in 33 thousand villages, 30 thousand villages are active. There are 41 thousand villages yet has a TBM and village library.

As far as the village library will be to advance villages, the Ministry of Villages and Bapennas have calculated one. The main factor in developing villages is the emergence of libraries.

“So, there is a positive correlation "when villages develop village libraries, they are more advanced and independent," he explained Ivan.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Tuesday (14/05/24), there are 10 thousand villages and TBM gets a thousand book titles each with a total of 10 million book titles so it is very helpful for village libraries. Task The Ministry of Villages opens up opportunities, but it all depends on the results village deliberation. An important stakeholder is the head of the empowerment service community and village//VOI

Deputy for Human Development, Society and Culture, Ministry of National Development Planning / Bappenas Amich Alhumami, giving his remarks on the National Sector Coordination Meeting (Rakornas) Library (Photo : Perpusnas) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : Deputy for Human Development, Society and Culture, Ministry of National Development Planning / Bappenas Amich Alhumami, said that the government has a dream to become a developed country within the next two decades. He conveyed this at the National Sector Coordination Meeting (Rakornas) Library, which took place at the Mercure Hotel, Jakarta on Tuesday (14/5/2024).

Meanwhile, Amich presented material with the title "Development policy literacy as a National Priority in the 2025 – 2029 RPJMN”. “Indonesia can become a developed country, characterized by high achievements in many fields. In relevant development sectors and will indicate for creating a quality nation. Reflected in economic productivity, achievements in development of education, science and technological innovation which are barometers for see whether the nation has good achievements or not," he explained.

However, continued Amich, currently the human capital index is only 0.54 percent. That This means that people born today will become productive humans 18 years later with that percentage.

“This is relatively low, meaning there must be an increase in the sector health and education. "Because literacy skills will be reflected there," he added.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Tuesday (14/05/24), in realizing the vision of Golden Indonesia 2045, education plays an important role creating superior and quality human resources with literacy skills. “Want to come in Companies must demonstrate good literacy skills, reading work manual, understand instructions, oriented to the work field and responsible for the task at hand," he explained. 

Amich said that in Golden Indonesia 2045, the government also has a vision education 2045. With a population of 278 million people, if an analysis is made Population structure according to age group and level of education, majority 59 percent of the population only graduated from junior high school/madrasah tsanawiyah (MTs) and below. 

“Literacy is important in the future and can both identify and strengthen. There is no absolute doubt that the increasingly advanced world is developing and competitive. It requires the most elementary and complex literacy skills. Through literacy can encourage societal transformation in various dimensions of life, even by utilizing technology, including artificial intelligence, to achieve achievements high," he said//VOI