VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta. Indonesian President Joko Widodo has sought support from the Developing Eight Group (D-8) countries for vaccine multilateralism amid increasing vaccine nationalism and protectionism in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“D-8 must continue to promote equitable access to vaccines. Vaccine affordability and availability is key to exit the pandemic. However, we are witnessing an increase in vaccine nationalism and we must reject this. We must support vaccine multilateralism,” said President Widodo at the 10th D-8 Summit, held online on Thursday.

He said he believes that in the time of a global pandemic, vaccines are global public goods, which means the world must seek to produce and distribute vaccines for all.

Speaking to leaders of the D-8 grouping, which includes Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Malaysia, and Indonesia, Widodo said the world must be able to multiply its vaccine production capacity and that there must be no restrictions on vaccine production and distribution.

“This is where the D-8 can play a role in offering its production capacity to increase production to promote equitable access to vaccines and encourage the transfer of technology,” he remarked.

He further said that the D-8 must be open to future cooperation in vaccine development and production, as a number of its member countries, including Indonesia, are in the process of developing their own vaccines.

At the meeting, Bangladesh, which has assumed chairmanship of the D-8 after Turkey, voiced its support for President Widodo’s statement on vaccines.

“I think we should work on it together,” Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated.

Indonesia has been a vocal proponent of equal and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The country is among the co-chairs of the COVAX Advance Market Commitment Engagement Group (COVAX AMC EG).

Indonesian Vice Foreign Minister Mahendra Siregar had raised similar concerns as Widodo during the 17th Session of the D-8 Council of Ministers meeting, held on Wednesday (April 7, 2021). He had said that the D-8 must ensure that vaccines can be distributed fairly for all without any hindrance.

“In this regard, we need to support the COVAX platform as the only platform to ensure equal access and affordable prices of vaccines for all,” he stressed.

He also called on the D-8 to prioritize strengthening research and development, as well as the health and pharmaceutical industry and network, in the D-8 countries. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. The Papua provincial government is planning to take part in the Pacific Exposition 2021 in New Zealand to showcase key commodities, including several variants of non-rice food commodities.

"We will also promote other natural wealth of the Land of Cendrawasih and natural tourism in Papua, one of the world's tourist destinations in the Pacific," Papua Vice Governor Klemen Tinal said in Jayapura on Thursday.

In addition, the provincial government will promote sports tourism at the biennial expo. Papua is ready to host the Pacific Games in the coming years if it receives a mandate from the central government, he added.

"This is because we have built sports venues of international standards," Tinal continued.

He said he has appointed the secretary of the Papua provincial administration to coordinate with the regional apparatus organization (OPD) to make preparations for the regional event.

Secretary of the Papua provincial government, Dance Yulian Flassy, shared Tinal's view saying his side will prepare regulations and infrastructure to support the event.

"In this case, technological instrument is badly needed because the event will be held virtually and watched by people all over the world," he said.

The provincial government will also prepare unique handicrafts, which will be showcased in a fashion show or an offline parade, to be held in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, from October 28 to 30, 2021, he added.

Earlier, the Indonesian Embassy in New Zealand and the Papua provincial government had held a virtual coordination meeting, which was attended by the Indonesian Ambassador to New Zealand and officials from the Indonesian Embassy, the Papua vice governor, secretary of the Papua provincial administration, chief of the communication and information office, and chief of the Border and Foreign Cooperation Board. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. The Indonesian military (TNI) transported 12.4 tons of humanitarian aid packages to East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province to assist the flood and landslide victims in disaster zones.

The relief aid packages were flown aboard a Hercules C-130 aircraft of the 31st Squadron to NTT from the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta.

"The packages comprise staple food items, clothes, blankets, nutritional biscuits, and instant noodles," Indonesian Army’s spokesman, Col. Edys Riyanto, stated.

The relief aid packages also include sarongs, baby formula products, face masks, towels, and diesel fuel-powered generators, Riyanto noted in a statement here on Thursday.

To better support the disaster mitigation efforts, the Indonesian Defence Forces (TNI) also dispatched its personnel and equipment to disaster zones.

The personnel are involved in the evacuation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts, according to Riyanto.

Flash floods and landslides, triggered by torrential rains on April 4, struck several areas in Kupang City and the districts of Malaka, Flores Timur, Lembata, and Sumba Timur.

The disaster reportedly claimed the lives of 138 residents and forced several others to flee their homes and take refuge in safer places.

Early this week, Indonesia's Social Affairs Ministry had disbursed social aid funds worth Rp2.6 billion to offer relief aid packages and compensation funds to the heirs of the deceased.

Logistics resources for the relief aid were taken from the warehouses of the NTT and East Java social affairs offices and through direct procurement.

Apart from distributing the humanitarian aid packages, the ministry also disbursed compensation funds worth Rp1.140 billion to the heirs of 76 dead victims.

Each heir of the deceased received Rp15 million. The ministry will additionally provide compensation funds amounting to Rp135 million to 27 seriously wounded survivors.

Flash floods reportedly submerged nine villages in the sub-districts of Ile Boleng, Adonara Timur, Wotan Ulu Mado, and Adonara Barat, Flores Timur District, on Sunday.

The affected villages are Nelemadike, Nelemawangi, Waiburak, Waiwerang, Oyang Barang, Pandai, Duwanur, Waiwadan, and Daniboa.

The debris carried during the flash floods not only claimed the lives of numerous villagers but also destroyed and damaged 77 houses and led to the collapse of five bridges. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. During an online meeting, officials from Taiwan have assured the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) that the temporary suspension on the placement of Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) has been necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The meeting between BP2MI, the Indonesian Labor Ministry, and Taiwan delegations resulted in the conclusion that Taiwan firmly stated that the temporary suspension of PMI's placement to Taiwan was really due to the COVID-19 pandemic," informed head of BP2MI, Benny Rhamdani, at an online press conference here on Thursday.

Rhamdani emphasized that the explanation was important for around six thousand PMI candidates whose departures were delayed on account of Taiwan suspending admission to Indonesian workers since December, 2020.

At the online meeting, Indonesia was represented by officials from the Indonesian Labor Ministry, BP2MI, and representatives from other ministries/agencies. Taiwan was represented at the meeting by Taiwan's deputy labor minister and representatives from its Foreign Affairs Ministry as well as the Economic and Taiwan Chamber of Commerce (TETO) Jakarta.

Rhamdani said the official statement from Taiwan was important as there was a lot of false information that appeared on social media on the postponement of PMI's placement to the archipelago.

"So, (Taiwan has taken the decision) due to COVID-19. It is impossible for the Indonesian government to deliberately delay the PMI's placement in Taiwan because it is the right of every citizen," he added.

Taiwan has suspended admission to Indonesian workers since December, 2020 after finding that workers who tested positive for COVID-19 had been placed in the new normal period. This has prompted the Indonesian Labor Ministry to investigate 14 placement companies suspected of sending the workers.

The results of the supervision have been conveyed to Taiwan, although the decision to postpone the placement of Indonesian workers to the region has not been revoked until now. (Antaranews)