VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOInews, Jakarta: Indonesian Ambassador to Namibia Wisnu Edi Pratignyo expressed the need for training support to increase the optimization of natural resource processing in Namibia. Wisnu gave an example that by increasing such training, the people of Namibia can create marketable products to improve the country's economy.

"For example, they have clay, but they can't make full use of it. They only know how to make bricks. Even though they can make various kinds of products. They have gemstones. (in making use of those raw materials) they need trained personnel. "How to process the stones into more valuable products and so on. So overall that is what the Indonesian Embassy is doing to assist (to provide training)," said Wisnu Edi to Voice of Indonesia (01/03).

Wisnu said that Namibia has oil and gas wealth but still lacks skilled workers. He took the initiative through the Owned Business Entity to provide training to several workers from Namibia.

"Namibia has oil and gas, now we are in the final stage of exploration. Namely, we are providing skill training to several Namibian workers to be trained by Pertamina in Indonesia, at the Training Center, in Cirebon for drilling. Based on the plan, it will start on April 1 this year for several months," said Vishnu Edi Pratignyo.

Previously, Wisnu revealed that Indonesia has provided training in the fisheries and marine sector in 2023.

"In 2023, we also provided training to one of the educational institutions here, namely fisheries and marine education, which was sponsored by the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, quite a large value of USD 256,000, that was also in the form of training. So in my opinion, Namibia still really needs training "what we can supply, what we can give to them, this is very important," he explained.

Namibia is one of sixteen countries on the African continent in which the Indonesian representative office is based. Indonesia-Namibia diplomatic relations have been established since May 13, 1991, a year after the independence of the former German colony. Namibia has abundant natural and mineral resources but they have not been exploited optimally. (VOI/Daniel)

VOInews, Jakarta: Deputy Head of the Indonesian Representative Office in Vienna, Akio Alfiano Tamala, is optimistic that Indonesia-Austria relations are becoming stronger considering the seventy years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

"Regarding how the two countries relation is developed, especially in the context of these 70 years, I am optimistic that relations between Indonesia and Austria in the future will be closer, increasingly improving, and both countries can certainly benefit from this good relationship," said Akio Alfiano to Voice of Indonesia, Tuesday (5/3) in Jakarta.

Akio believes that diplomatic relations between the two countries are getting stronger due to various factors such as the similarity of the Non-Aligned principles adhered to by both countries.

"I think there are actually three capitals that we can use as opportunities to improve relations, especially politically, as stated earlier, the two countries shared similarities, neutrality so that they can both stand in the same position, to discuss, to sit down and talk about world problems will also be more convenient because they have same principles," he said.

Apart from that, Akio assessed that the interest of the Indonesian-Austrian people in getting to know each other's culture is also an asset for improving bilateral relations.

"(Besides) people-to-people contact (between the people of the two countries), they also intensively promote music, through classical music of course in Indonesia," continued Akio.

"And then the last thing is that we hope that with (the optimization of) this port, economically our relations with Austria will further improve our trade relations with Austria," said Akio Alfiano.

Akio Alfiano Tamala outlined the prospects for cooperation between Indonesia and Austria, including in the fields of environmental technology, law and tourism.

"They have a waste processing building in the middle of the city that is odorless, clean, and the building is even unique, (the design of a building) made unique so that it attracts tourists to take photos. "These may also be things we can explore to develop cooperation," he said.

In addition, according to Akio Alfiano Tamala, cooperation in the legal sector can be carried out considering that Austria is a pioneer in constitutional law in the world. In the tourism sector, Indonesia and Austria are world-class tourist destinations with their characteristics. It is recorded that approximately 40 million total tourists visit Austria every year.

"And I think maybe Indonesia can exchange ideas, can discuss with Austria how to improve tourism, tourism management, the tourism industry, including promotion, because we know, for example, here in Austria there is something called the city of Hallstatt for example, which was promoted as filming location for the film Frozen," he said. (VOI/Daniel)

FILE PHOTO: A flare burns excess natural gas in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, U.S. November 23, 2019. Picture taken November 23, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant/File Photo - 

Voinews, London : Oil rose on Wednesday, supported by signs of strong global demand including from top consumer the United States while hopes that the Federal Reserve might start cutting rates soon also buoyed sentiment despite somewhat sticky U.S. inflation.

In an indication of healthy demand, U.S. crude oil and fuel inventories fell last week, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures ahead of Wednesday's official U.S. inventory report.

Brent futures for May rose 83 cents, or 1 per cent, to $82.75 a barrel by 0922 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for April gained 59 cents, or 0.8 per cent, to $78.15.

"With envisaged global stock draws in the second quarter and possibly beyond, heightened geopolitical tension with palpable impact on supply and the approaching rate cuts that will make borrowing and even oil trading cheaper, it is almost beyond comprehension as to why the market is reluctant to break higher," said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM.

Oil had fallen on Tuesday after a higher than expected forecast for U.S. crude oil production and bearish economic data, but persistent geopolitical tensions limited declines.

In an earlier sign of strong demand, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on Tuesday stuck to its forecast for oil demand growth of 2.25 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2024, higher than many other forecasts.

The International Energy Agency, which expects demand growth to be much lower, updates its forecasts on Thursday.

Oil and the wider financial markets also found support from sentiment that slightly hotter than expected U.S. inflation will not derail interest rate cuts by the middle of the year. Lower rates support oil demand.

"The risk environment has largely stayed unfazed, riding on the firm belief that current market pricing for a rate cut only in June will do the job," said IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong.

The unexpected slide in U.S. crude inventories and strong growth forecasts by OPEC also supported prices, said Yeap.

In a note to clients, Capital Economics analysts said they still forecast the Fed to start easing policy "around June"//CNA-VOI

\VOInews, Jakarta : Six aid trucks crossed from Israel directly into the northern Gaza Strip, Palestine on Tuesday (12/3) as part of a pilot project for ensuring the delivery of supplies into the area, the Israeli army announced.

According to the army, as reported by AFP, six World Food Programme - WFP aid trucks "entered the northern Gaza Strip via the '96th' gate on the security fence" on Tuesday.

They claimed that this was done as part of a pilot to prevent the Hamas group from taking over the aid, noting the trucks had been inspected at Kerem Shalom beforehand.

Israel has maintained strict control over aid entering the Gaza Strip since the outbreak of its war with Hamas, inspecting shipments at Nitzana and Kerem Shalom before permitting them to enter through the territory's south.

The cumbersome screenings are a major reason current shortages are so glaring, aid workers say, and the shipments sometimes struggle to reach northern Gaza//AFP-VOI