VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The person who left the bomb that caused Istanbul's explosion was arrested by the police, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Monday according to state-run Anadolu agency's English-language Twitter account.

Six people were killed and 81 others wounded on Sunday when an explosion rocked a busy pedestrian street in Istiklal Avenue in central Istanbul in what Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called a bomb attack that "smells like terrorism". (Reuters)

German federal police have warned their nation's delegation at the COP27 environmental summit in Egypt that its members may be subject to spying by Egyptian security agents, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

In an email sent on Saturday, the police, known in Germany as the BKA, warned delegates of "overt and covert surveillance through photography and videography" by Egyptian agents, said one of the people quoting from the email.

Comments last week by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about Egypt's human rights record provoked the threat of surveillance, that person said.

Reuters did not view the email sent by the police. Two other officials in Germany confirmed the existence of the warning, though they declined to elaborate on its specific wording.

There was no immediate response to requests for comment from Egypt's COP27 presidency or the state information service, which handles relations with foreign media.

A spokesperson for the German police declined to comment.

In the warning, the police said delegates may have their conversations recorded and that people close to the Egyptian state may try to disrupt events organised by the Germans "through provocative actions", the person quoted the email as saying.

Three German attendees at COP27, from non-governmental organizations and industry, said they had received verbal warnings from other attendees and delegations of possible surveillance.

Two NGO members told Reuters about what they viewed as suspicious activity that took place on occasions in recent days, including being photographed and followed. One was Susann Scherbarth of the German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation. The other was with the Climate Action Network but wished to remain unnamed. Reuters was unable to independently confirm their accounts.

An official with Germany's foreign ministry said it expected participants to "be able to work and negotiate under secure conditions".

"To this end, we are in continuous exchange with the Egyptian side," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

On Tuesday, Scholz said he had raised with the COP27 hosts the issue of the jailed hunger striker Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a prominent activist and blogger sentenced to five years on charges of spreading false news.

"A decision needs to be taken, a release has to be made possible, so that it doesn't come to it that the hunger striker dies," Scholz told reporters.

Egypt's government has said prison authorities will provide Abd el-Fattah with healthcare. (Reuters)

Global Blended Finance Alliance launch at G20 side event in Bali - 

The Indonesian government launched the "Global Blended Finance Alliance" at the Tri Hita Karana (THK) Sustainable Development Forum 2022 on Sunday, November 13, 2022 at Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center, ITDC area, Bali. Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves), Luhut B. Pandjaitan said in his opening remarks that this launch would build capacity across the government, private sector, and philanthropy to make a better mix.

"This alliance will be based in Bali and we invite all parties to partner with us. We don't have time to give up if we want to open trillions of investments every year. We need to do this for our future generations," said Coordinating Minister Marves in his opening remarks.

The Coordinating Minister for Marves welcomed the THK Forum as a concrete action step to accelerate investment in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). "As co-host of the Tri Hita Karana Forum, the Government of Indonesia is proud to see that we have helped catalyze more than USD30 billion for projects and initiatives related to SDGs this year through blended finance solutions. This is three times what we did at the last THK Forum in 2018," added the Coordinating Minister for Marves.

But in addition, Indonesia is still experiencing financial gaps, especially in climate-related financing. Coordinating Minister Marves said during the 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFFC), developed countries have committed to the common goal of mobilizing USD 100 billion per year by 2020 for climate action in developing countries. In addition, around USD 3.3-4.5 trillion per year needs to be mobilized to achieve the 2030 SDGs Agenda.

"The Indonesian government has identified a fair and affordable transition from coal to clean energy as a national priority and has included an energy transition driven by sustainable financing mechanisms. In line with its global climate change mitigation goals, Indonesia has increased its NDC target by September 2022 and is committed to achieve net zero emissions by 2060 or sooner," said the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Sunday (13/11/22), Indonesia is currently finalizing cooperation negotiations with the International Partners Group led by the United States-Japan for the Equitable Energy Transition Partnership program.

"We are ready to implement programs towards phased-down including early retirement of coal-fired power plants for significant greenhouse gas reductions for more ambitious NDC targets. I am proud of the work that has been done to finance the transition to a clean energy system. This will require international funding to move faster," explained the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs.

In addition, Indonesia has proven an increase in economic growth up 5.72 percent year-on-year in the third quarter. The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs expressed his pride at the existence of blended finance solutions for Indonesia's nature which is included as the first sustainable landscape bond in the world and a new fund for biodiversity.

"We've also developed carbon finance regulations because we have rainforests, peatlands, mangroves and coral reefs that are incredible and need protection and we need to find ways to pay for it. I was delighted to see so many business and financial leaders attend today's hearing "Right now a more sustainable world is the best way to encourage growth and build resilience to economic shocks," concluded the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs//VOI

The Tri Hita Karana Forum held a Side Event Ocean20 (O20): Rebuilding the Blue Natural Capital & Ecosystem Services - 

The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenko Marves) together with the Tri Hita Karana Forum held a Side Event Ocean20 (O20): Rebuilding the Blue Natural Capital & Ecosystem Services on Sunday (13/11/2022). Through this activity it is hoped that it will generate discussions on Blue Natural Capital (BNC) to strengthen diplomacy in the maritime sector at the G20 Summit Presidency.

BNC is a natural capital found in coastal and marine environments, such as coral reefs, mangroves, seaweed, and seagrass beds. "United Nations for Environment or UNEP has identified that BNC is an important asset to support the economy through resources in the sea to be able to provide input for economic consumption and production," said Plt. Deputy for Coordination of Maritime Resources of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs M. Firman Hidayat.

Indonesia is committed to taking steps to protect, manage sustainably, and restore natural resources in the sea. "As the largest archipelagic country and large marine biodiversity, we are fully aware that the marine ecosystem in our country plays a key role in regulating the health and sustainability of the ocean," he said.

With the existence of BNC, the Indonesian government is currently developing ways to achieve a blue economy. Several marine related policies have been formulated and updated by the Indonesian government and other stakeholders. One of them is Presidential Regulation Number 34 of 2022 concerning the 2021-2025 Indonesian Maritime Policy Action Plan as a guideline for planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating policies in the marine and development sector. Indonesia is determined to create healthy and sustainable oceans by developing BNC.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Sunday (13/11/22), starting from efforts to protect the marine environment, marine spatial planning policies have become the main reference for economic development and environmental preservation. "The Indonesian government is keeping a commitment to expanding marine protected areas to 32.5 million hectares by 2030. Apart from that, a mangrove rehabilitation program is also being pursued in Indonesia," explained Plt. Deputy Word.

Previously, a workshop on Coral Reef and Blue Natural Capital was held as an activity towards Ocean20 last August and resulted in the conclusion that BNC can be rebuilt before damage occurs in the future. This can be done with cooperation between all parties, to produce a strong and solid strategy. "It is hoped that through today's activities, we can produce concrete policy recommendations regarding the BNC and strengthen maritime-related diplomacy at the G20 Summit. I hope that through this meeting we can also discuss current policies," he said.

To strengthen the discussion at this activity, there were six speakers who expressed their views on BNC and what could be done to produce policy recommendations related to the sustainability of the marine economy and at the same time protecting these resources. The speakers consisted of Director of the Ocean World Economic Forum Kristian Telaki, chairman of the Indonesian Coral and Ornamental Fish Association Dirga Singkarru, Head of the Research Center for Oceanography of BRIN Udhi Eko Hernawan, and chairman of the Conservation Strategy Fund Mubariq Ahmad.

"Finally, I hope that through this activity we can promote the interests of the BNC. I invite all of us to collaborate starting today to reaffirm our commitment to creating a more sustainable and better future,” concluded Plt. Deputy Word//VOI