VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - Three Indonesian provinces are ready to serve as national models for low-carbon development through the implementation of the International Climate Initiative-Peat and Mangrove Ecosystems (IKI-PME) project, the National Development Planning (PPN) Ministry has said.

The provinces are North Sumatra, West Papua, and Southwest Papua, Director for Forestry and Water Resources at the PPN Ministry Nur Hygiawati Rahayu said here on Tuesday.

"The IKI-PME project supports the government's agenda and achievements on low carbon development, climate resilience development, and sustainable development goals (SDGs), she said.

According to the Environment and Forestry Ministry, North Sumatra has around 38,205 hectares of mangroves and 526,701 hectares of peat.

Meanwhile, West Papua and Southwest Papua have 957,826 hectares of peat; 9,120 hectares of mangroves; as well as 332,407 hectares of peat associated with mangroves.

The implementation of the IKI-PME project has supported the effective management, better preservation, and sustainable use of 742,234 hectares of peat and mangrove ecosystems.

The project helped to strengthen the regional government’s policy in the West Papua Provincial Forestry Plan as well as carry out patrol activities using Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tools (SMART).

It also completed the peat restoration program in South Tapanuli District, North Sumatra Province.

In addition, IKI-PME Project trained the community living around mangrove and peat ecosystems in repairing and maintaining ketinting – a long traditional boat – engines and fishing nets, as well as identifying and monitoring potential natural resources.

It also trained the people in carrying out product diversification through fish and duck farming as well as making citronella oil and compost.

"We hope that the success of the IKI-PME project (in the three provinces) can later be emulated by other provinces and contribute to the Indonesian government's climate change mitigation and adaptation attempts," Rahayu said.

The project was led by Konservasi Indonesia, a sustainable development and environmental conservation organization, in collaboration with Wetlands International Indonesia (YLBA) as well as the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).

Senior Vice President and Executive Chair of Konservasi Indonesia Meizani Irmadhiany said her party had also established strategic coordination with PPN Ministry to draft the national strategy document on peat and mangrove ecosystems launched in February 2023.

Meanwhile, Program Coordinator for Wetlands Restoration and Community Development at the YLBA Eko Budi Priyanto said that the IKI-PME project had also involved collaboration with the local community in implementing paludiculture -- the use of peatland for agriculture – on a 200-hectare area.  (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesia's Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing has assured that stadiums that were previously prepared for the U-20 World Cup are ready and can be used for the U-17 World Cup.

Indonesia is scheduled to host the U-17 World Cup from November 10 to December 2, 2023.

"If they (stadiums) are to be used, they are very ready. We have handed over the management (of the stadiums) and provided training to field managers," Director of Strategic Infrastructure at the ministry's Directorate General of Human Settlements Essy Asiah said here on Tuesday.

She noted that earlier, for the U-20 World Cup--in which Indonesia was removed as the host--FIFA had conducted the last inspection of all stadiums and expressed delight at the conditions of stadiums in Indonesia.

"It was because those stadiums have met the standards set by FIFA," she added.

Regardless, Asiah said shestill did not yet know which stadiums would be used for the U-17 World Cup matches and training.

"Stadiums that were previously planned to be used for the U-20 World Cup are ready for the implementation of the U-17 World Cup because they have been prepared maximally to be used to support international events," she highlighted.

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing was previously tasked with preparing 25 stadiums for the U-20 World Cup. The 25 stadiums comprised 5 stadiums for matches and 20 stadiums for training purposes.

However, FIFA then announced its decision to remove Indonesia as the U-20 World Cup host.

Last April, Peru was stripped of hosting the U-17 World Cup due to uncertainty over the South American country's infrastructure conditions. Peru was named as host of the competition in 2019.

A FIFA Council meeting on Friday (June 23, 2023) in Zurich, Switzerland, determined that Indonesia would host the U-17 World Cup.  (Antaranews)

China and New Zealand should promote trade and investment, Chinese President Xi Jinping told New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, who led a trade delegation to China seeking more access for his country's primary exports and emerging sectors like gaming.

Although China is New Zealand's largest trading partner, calls have been growing within the island country for it to reduce its reliance on Beijing as geopolitical tensions grow, and an increasing number of small firms are seeking opportunities in markets like Australia and North America.

At a meeting with Hipkins in Beijing on Tuesday, Xi said both countries should promote the "liberalisation and facilitation" of trade and investment, and provide a better business environment for each other's enterprises to invest and operate in their countries.

Xi added that both countries should strengthen cooperation in areas including education, culture and tourism.

Describing New Zealand's relationship with China as one of "the most significant and wide ranging", Hipkins said the key focus of his visit was to help his country's businesses reconnect and deepen relations with their Chinese counterparts.

Hipkins previously said China was a "valuable partner" but he is also aware of domestic calls to seek new markets.

Two weeks ago after announcing his trip to China, Hipkins told New Zealand media the government had signed seven new or upgraded free-trade agreements as "part of our really concerted effort to diversify our overall market shares".

Unlike its neighbour Australia or its other "Five Eyes" security partners, Wellington's interactions with Beijing have remained largely cordial. The two sides upgraded their free trade pact last year.

Noting New Zealand's independent foreign policy, Xi said China had always treated New Zealand as a "friend and partner" and was ready to work with the country to promote the steady and sustained growth of their comprehensive strategic partnership.

"We will continue to see each other as partners instead of rivals," Xi was quoted as saying by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

In recent years, however, New Zealand's tone on issues ranging from human rights, the international rules-based order and potential militarisation of the Pacific has toughened, with its Western allies becoming increasingly hawkish towards China.

During his meeting with Xi, Hipkins reiterated the importance of working together to support the international rules-based order and the constructive role China can play in addressing shared global challenges such as climate change and the war in Ukraine, according to the statement from his government.

Xi told Hipkins both countries could maintain communications and work together to help Pacific Island countries thrive. (Reuters)

Sri Lanka has scrapped plans to export 100,000 endangered toque macaque monkeys to China, the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka, one of the 30 petitioners who went to court against the proposal, said on Monday.

The island nation, facing its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades, was considering a proposal by a Chinese private company to capture and export wild toque macaques to zoos in China.

Conservation organisations had warned that the monkeys could be headed to labs instead of zoos, and had approached the country's Court of Appeal seeking any decision to export them to China be quashed.

When the matter was taken up on Monday, the attorney general said the Department of Wildlife and Conservation had assured it that "they will not be taking steps to export monkeys to China", WNPS said in a statement.

"The case will be taken up before the Court of Appeal on 6th July to record the above undertaking given to the Court by the State," the WNPS said.

Toque macaques, currently found only in Sri Lanka, are among species identified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Animal rights non-profit People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said the government's decision recognised the animals "aren't commodities to be bought and sold".

"These macaques are individuals with families who live in tight-knit communities. Their lives matter, and so does their contribution to their forest home," PETA primate scientist Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel said.

The value of the proposed deal between the company and the Sri Lankan government had not been disclosed. (Reuters)