VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Embassies of French-speaking or francophone countries in Indonesia opened the 2024 Francophone Week activities on Monday, March 18 at the Institut français Indonésie (IFI) Jakarta. The Moroccan Ambassador, the Canadian Ambassador's Charge de'affair, the Swiss Ambassador, and the French Ambassador to Indonesia were present at the opening of the annual event. The opening of Frankoponi Week 2024 was also enlivened by the performance of the UI Chorale CLE-C choir group and the Rangkai music group.

In his remarks, the Moroccan Ambassador to Indonesia, Ouadia Benabdellah, who this year was appointed President of the Group of Ambassadors of Francophone Countries in Indonesia, said that the Francophone has become a symbol of tolerance and bonds of solidarity between nations. “Francophonie is more than just a shared language. This embodies the values of solidarity, dialogue, and cooperation between people, whatever their origins and backgrounds. It is a symbol of tolerance, dialogue, and mutual respect, representing a bridge between continents, an unshakable bond that transcends borders and differences” Ouadia Benabdellah said upon his address.

The Francophonie Week in Indonesia took place from 18-23 March 2024 in eight cities, namely Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Bali, Makassar, Medan and Semarang. The week's series of activities includes music performances, film screenings, Marionette performances, painting exhibitions, seminars/workshops, bazaars, and various French language competitions.

Internationally, Francophonie Day or World French Speakers Day is observed every March 20 as a celebration of the use of French in 54 countries and various organizations including the UN which unites around 321 million speakers and is part of the International Francophonie Organization. (Daniel)

VOInews, Jakarta: The head of the EU's main leftist political grouping has said it is time to "negotiate" an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, rallying behind a controversial call by Pope Francis for Kyiv to raise the "white flag."

"I believe helping the Ukrainian people means now making attempts to end the war," said Walter Baier, the 70-year-old Austrian picked last month by the Party of the European Left as its candidate to head the next European Commission.

Baier underlined that his party -- whose 26 full members include Germany's Die Linke, France's Communists and Greece's Syriza -- had "absolutely condemned the Russian aggression" in its manifesto for June's European elections.

But in a joint interview Monday with the "European Newsroom," which brings together news agencies including AFP, he said the conflict's "frozen" fronts required a new approach.

"I would wish from the European Union... to take diplomatic efforts to start negotiations to achieve a ceasefire and to achieve the withdrawal of the Russian troops," Baier said.

"In this regard, I fully support what Pope Francis was saying. Now it's the time to end the war, and now it's the time to negotiate and stop killing," said the former head of Austria's communist party.

In an interview broadcast earlier this month, the Argentine pontiff urged Kyiv, which has been fighting invading Russian forces for more than two years, to "raise the white flag and negotiate".

The Ukrainian government reacted with fury, even while the Vatican insisted the words "white flag" were intended to mean a cessation of hostilities, not a surrender.

Analysts see no immediate prospect of negotiations to find a breakthrough in the Ukraine war, with Russia's Vladimir Putin emboldened by the erosion of Western support for Kyiv -- while Ukraine is determined to keep fighting to recapture territory.

The Party of the European Left is the larger of two leftist formations in the European Parliament -- along with Now the People whose members include Spain's Podemos and France Unbowed.

Both are part of the 37-strong group of lawmakers called The Left in the EU parliament -- where polls point to a surge by far-right movements following June's vote across the 27-nation bloc.

The EU parliament currently has 705 seats, which will increase to 720 seats after the 2024 elections.

Source: AFP

VOInews, Jakarta: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to hold talks with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos on Tuesday, as the countries seek to reinforce security and economic ties in the face of growing Chinese aggression.

Blinken's visit to Manila -- his second since Marcos took office in June 2022 -- is part of a brief Asia tour that also included South Korea.

Washington is keen to improve relations with its regional allies, such as Manila and Seoul, in a bid to deter China and North Korea as tensions rise in the South China Sea over Taiwan and on the Korean peninsula.

Blinken's trip comes ahead of a trilateral meeting in Washington next month between US President Joe Biden, Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Announcing the three-way summit with the Asia Pacific allies, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the leaders would push a "shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific".

During his meeting with Marcos and his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo on Tuesday, Blinken is expected to reaffirm the United States' security commitments to the Philippines.

"What we're trying to demonstrate... is that we are committed to the Indo-Pacific, to this region, despite everything else that's going on in the world right now," a senior State Department official told reporters on Monday.

"I would expect when we're in Manila, the main concern will obviously be China's continued destabilising actions in the South China Sea that are in contravention of international law."

Top US officials have repeatedly said that "an armed attack" against Philippine public vessels, aircraft, armed forces and coastguard would invoke the 1951 US-Philippines mutual defence treaty in which Washington is obliged to defend its ally.

Blinken's visit follows a spate of incidents involving Philippine and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea, including collisions, in recent months.

Marcos has expressed "great alarm" over the confrontations that have sparked diplomatic sparring between Manila and Beijing.

Source: AFP