VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono has thanked the World Bank for contributing to and cooperating with his ministry on achieving the 2020–2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) targets.

"The World Bank has the largest portion of financing in ongoing projects in the ministry, with the support amounting to 24.71 percent or around US$1.68 billion from the total loan of US$6.8 billion," Hadimuljono informed here on Tuesday.

A total of 10 projects under the ministry have been funded by the World Bank.

In the 2020–2022 period, the ministry rehabilitated and modernized 826,531 hectares of irrigation systems, improved 163 dams, and provided access to drinking water at a rate of 2,988 liters per second.

The ministry also repaired and built 546,561 houses and helped more than 25 thousand families get affordable houses.

These achievements were supported by loans from the World Bank, such as through the Dam Operational Improvement and Safety Project (DOISP) II and the Strategic Irrigation Modernization and Urgent Rehabilitation Project (SIMURP).

Hadimuljono also discussed future projects that have been proposed to be funded through collaboration with the World Bank.

"In April 2023, the ministry proposed increasing the loan amount for the River Basin Improvement Program from US$50 million to US$500 million," Hadimuljono said.

His side also proposed US$178.38 million in funding for the Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) – Service Project Towards Safely Managed Urban Sanitation.

He also invited World Bank delegates to participate in the 2024 World Water Forum (WWF) in Bali, which carries the theme "Water for Shared Prosperity."

He expressed the hope that cooperation between the ministry and the World Bank will continue to strengthen and generate benefits through inclusive development strategies.

Minister Hadimuljono received Benoît Bosquet, the World Bank's regional director for sustainable development, East Asia Pacific, and other delegates in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The candidate for the post of the new regional director, Anna Wellenstein, was introduced during the meeting. (antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Head of the Bank Indonesia (BI) Representative for North Sulawesi Andry Prasmuko expressed hope that the ASEAN Summit would be able to improve the region's export performance.

"ASEAN countries, especially Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand, are the main trading partners of exporters from North Sulawesi, with a share of 18.84 percent of the province's total exports, and FOB value of US$211 million in 2022," Prasmuko stated here on Wednesday.

He noted that Malaysia was ranked first as an importer of North Sulawesi, with the products being imported comprising crude coconut oil (CCO), while Singapore generally imported gold.

Prasmuko remarked that Vietnam imports nutmeg. Meanwhile, the Philippines and Thailand each imported cement as well as fresh fish and frozen fish products.

He is optimistic that in future, Indonesia would be able to increase its share of exports to other ASEAN countries, such as Brunei, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

He also expects that Indonesia can expand the scope of commodities, especially the products of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the province.

"North Sulawesi also hopes that Bitung Port and Samrat Airport can become International Hub Ports (IHP), as export gateways in Eastern Indonesia (KTI)," he stated.

He said Indonesia's exports to the ASEAN in 2022 amounted to US$52.65 billion, with the largest commodity being coal, with 19.88 percent, followed by exports of four-wheeled vehicles, with a share of 4.06 percent.

Meanwhile, other products, such as copper, CPO, and derivatives of CPO, have a share of around four percent. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - The 59th ASEAN Consultative Committee for Standards and Quality (ACCSQ) meeting is being held to discuss the road map for the harmonization of standards to ensure the successful realization of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The meeting, which is being held from June 13 to 16, 2023, is being attended by representatives of the standardization and conformity assessment institutions of ASEAN member countries.

The harmonization of standards is required to ensure the quality of products, especially those manufactured by developing countries so that the products can compete internationally, Head of Indonesia’s National Standardization Agency (BSN) Kukuh S. Achmad said after opening the meeting here on Tuesday.

He said he believes that harmonization will further support the goods and services trade as well as help realize equitable prosperity in Southeast Asian countries.

"We (ASEAN member countries) do not aim to develop the same standards in each country, but we attempt to synchronize the standards in all ASEAN countries," he added.

Achmad informed that his agency has been tasked with completing the development of the Road Map of ASEAN Harmonized Standards to Support SDG Implementation under Indonesia’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2023.

He stated that the road map is one of Indonesia’s 16 priority economic deliverables (PED) to make ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a global growth center.

He continued that the road map also aims to increase trade productivity in the Southeast Asian region by improving production cost efficiency, preserving sustainable resources, and strengthening environmental protection.

The BSN head noted that ASEAN member countries have endorsed a number of initiatives during prior ACCSQ meetings, for instance, product acceptance agreements on various commodities, such as electronics and cosmetics.

Later, the same agreement will also be followed up for medical devices and automotive products, he said.

There are also a number of agendas that need to be realized, such as the development of an action plan by the Joint Sectoral Committee on Electrical and Electronic Equipment (JSC EEE) to map regional trade in the sector, he added.

Achmad emphasized that Southeast Asian countries must anticipate the threat of economic recession given the ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade war.

"It will be difficult for ASEAN to anticipate the recession if the member countries implement trade protection policies and do not encourage a mutually beneficial trade system," he added. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesia and Uzbekistan agreed to strengthen economic cooperation in various sectors, Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin stated during his courtesy call to Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov here on Tuesday.

“I am glad that our bilateral cooperation runs well, and we must continue to improve it. Hopefully, we can strengthen this cooperation in the future,” the Indonesian vice president stated.

Amin expects trade and industry cooperation between the two countries, reaching US$82.5 million (around Rp1.23 trillion) in 2022, to be increased in future.

"I hope we can increase this achievement by developing new (forms of cooperation in) leading sectors, such as halal products," he remarked.

Amin noted that Indonesia, with the largest Muslim population in the world, has several superior halal products, such as food, beverages, and cosmetics.

"Let us start exploring cooperation for these products, one of which is by developing mutual recognition of halal certification of the two countries," he stated.

Furthermore, Amin and Aripov discussed the opportunity to cooperate in palm oil and fertilizer industries as well as to bolster collaboration between the Chambers of Commerce of the two countries.

The Indonesian vice president also lauded the opening of the Tashkent-Jakarta direct flight route that could facilitate logistics transport and boost bilateral trade cooperation.

"It (the new flight route) can support export and import activities of the two countries. I hope (the number of flights in) the route can continue to be increased in the future," he remarked.

Furthermore, he assessed that Indonesia and Uzbekistan both have vast tourism potential, including in terms of historical and religious tourism. Hence, he expects that the two countries could continue to explore and develop the potential together.

"Your Excellency (Aripov), thank you for your good reception and this productive discussion. I hope the results of this discussion can be followed up soon by related stakeholders of our respective countries," he added. (Antaranews)