VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed Moderna reporting on Monday that its experimental vaccine showed 94.5% efficacy but said that “many questions” remained and it was no time for complacency.

Only very limited amounts of any vaccine will be available in the first half of 2021 for people other than priority health workers, WHO officials said.

“While we continue to receive encouraging news about COVID-19 vaccines and remain cautiously optimistic about the potential for new tools to start to arrive in coming months, right now we are extremely concerned by the surge in cases we are seeing in some countries, particularly in Europe and the Americas,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news briefing.

It marked his return to the Geneva agency from quarantine after being exposed to coronavirus some 17 days ago. Tedros said he had no symptoms and had seen no need for a test.

Moderna Inc’s experimental vaccine is 94.5% effective in preventing COVID-19 based on interim data from a late-stage trial, the company said on Monday, becoming the second U.S. drugmaker to report results that far exceed expectations.

Together with Pfizer Inc’s vaccine, which is also more than 90% effective, and pending more safety data and regulatory review, the United States could have two vaccines authorized for emergency use in December with as many as 60 million doses of vaccine available this year.

Soumya Swaminathan, WHO’s chief scientist, said that the Moderna results were “quite encouraging”. Its final efficacy and safety profile would still be needed, as well as follow-up on trial participants for two months for any side effects.

Pfizer and Moderna candidate vaccines both use mRNA technology and appear to achieve high efficacy, she added.

“But there are many, many questions still remaining about the duration of protection, the impact on severe disease, the impact on different sub-populations especially the elderly, as well as the adverse events beyond a certain period of time,” Swaminathan said.

Clinical trials must continue to collect more data, she said, adding that more results were expected in the coming weeks from the other vaccine trials.

“We are looking at at least the first half of the year as being a period with very very limited doses. Supplies are going to be limited, there are bilateral deals that many of the companies have done, so many of the doses have already been booked by some countries,” Swaminathan said.

Moderna is a two-dose vaccine and its delivery means, as well as storage, were also important considerations, said Kate O’Brien, director of WHO’s immunization department.

“We will be looking really carefully at the ease at which different vaccines can be delivered and certainly about the number of doses that are required,” she said. (Reuters)

Indonesia's exploration costs over the past two decades remained low, constituting one percent of the world-class mining companies' exploration costs, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif stated while quoting S&P Global Market Intelligence data.

The low exploration costs were attributed to the fact that exploration activities in Indonesia had yet to be conducted massively, Tasrif remarked during a virtual launch of the book "An Introduction Into The Geology of Indonesia" by Prof. Dr R. P. Koesoemadinata on Monday.

For its part, the government has encouraged massive exploration to achieve the required energy deposits. Indonesia currently requires additional oil deposits of one million barrels of oil per day (bopd), he noted.

To support exploration activities in the country, the energy and mineral resources minister issued Regulation Number 12 of 2020 on models of oil and gas cooperation contracts, Tasrif remarked.

The regulation stipulates the models of cooperation contracts and the flexibility of production sharing contract, including the cost recovery and gross split scheme, he explained.

"Massive exploration is direly needed. Our oil and gas deposits continue to decline. The same also holds true for the mineral and coal mining sub-sector that still requires exploration activities," he stated.

The minister highlighted that the government was encouraging giant discoveries in oil and gas blocks in 68 potential offshore areas in the country.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry’s data shows that Indonesia currently holds oil stocks of 3.77 billion barrels, gas stocks of 77.3 trillion cubic feet, and coal stocks of 37.6 billion tons. (Antaranews)

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) directly submitted proposals or recommendations over the commemoration of International Human Rights Day on December 10, 2020, to President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo.

After a meeting with President Widodo at the Presidential Palace complex, Jakarta, Monday, Komnas HAM Chairman Ahmad Taufan Damanik stated that his side had suggested that the president not only deliver a speech on International Human Rights Day this year but that it should also be part of the state institution’s ceremony every year.

As a result, it will become a form of respect for human rights.

"Whoever will lead this country, every December 10, it will become our country's commitment to respect human rights. Hence, it is expected to become a state ceremony speech," he affirmed.

Damanik pointed out that the Indonesian people had raised the human rights agenda as an important issue even before the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) had launched the Human Rights Declaration in 1948.

"Our country is a lucky nation because before the Human Rights Declaration in 1948 was triggered, actually long before it, our nation's founders had raised the issue of human rights as in the Constitution, we discussed it earlier," he stated.

Damanik is optimistic that the commemoration of International Human Rights Day would be part of affirming the commitment of the nation and state in any development policies based on the human rights principles.

"That is what we call Indonesian civilization in future, and it should be based on human rights values. If we build, please pay attention to the interests of other communities that cannot be compromised on. If we enforce the law, the corridors of law and human rights must also be obeyed," he emphasized.

In addition to discussing the commemoration of International Human Rights Day, Komnas HAM submitted an investigation report on the incidence of violence in Intan Jaya, Papua, in September 2020.

Attendees at the meeting also comprised Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD; Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna H. Laoly; and Minister of State Secretary Pratikno. (Antaranews)

Ministers from APEC’s 21 member economies convened to reiterate their commitment to pursue free and open trade and investment as well as revivify endeavors towards regional economic recovery and growth.

The 31st APEC Ministerial Meeting, held virtually on Monday (Nov 16), was chaired by Malaysia’s Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry Mohamed Azmin Ali, according to a written statement issued by the APEC Secretariat and received here on Tuesday.

The APEC ministers are working in unison to advance regional trade and investment amid the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic that has extensively disrupted supply chains and wreaked havoc on the global economic landscape.

"This year, we have pivoted, prioritized, and progressed work on several APEC initiatives despite the challenging circumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic," Chair of this year’s APEC Ministerial Meeting, Mohamed Azmin Ali, remarked.

"Continue to resist the forces of protectionism and strengthen support to a well-functioning, rules-based multilateral trading system while remaining steadfast to advancing the development agenda of the World Trade Organization," Ali stated at the virtual meeting while urging member economies.

The APEC region recorded its first ever economic growth contraction in three decades, with gross domestic product plunging by 3.7 percent in the first six months of 2020.

This grim scenario followed a surge in unemployment rates among APEC economies, with over 74 million currently in search of work.

Ali commended member economies’ relentless efforts in slowly reopening economic activities, ensuring that workers return to work, and allowing cross-border movement of people through the introduction of travel bubbles.  

"All while managing the collective concerns on the health, safety, and well-being of our people," he noted.

"The travel bubbles that are emerging within the region are a crucial development, as these could possibly redefine the future of travel and tourism," he stated.

"These bubbles are also central to revitalizing the essential movement of people within APEC," he remarked.

At the meeting themed “Optimizing Human Potential towards a Resilient Future of Shared Prosperity: Pivot, Prioritise, Progress,” Ali underscored the importance of improving the narrative of trade and investment, one of the key priorities for Malaysia as the host this year.

"It is imperative to translate the benefits of trade and investment into a more inclusive economic growth that brings palpable benefits and greater well-being to all our people," he expounded.

"In this regard, we have placed particular emphasis on shared prosperity to enable more effective and meaningful economic participation by all segments of our societies," he stated.

Ministers have also completed their work in formulating APEC’s new post-2020 vision, which will chart the long-term strategic direction for the region for the next two decades. The recommendations from this meeting will be presented to APEC leaders at the upcoming virtual meeting on Friday (November 20). (Antaranews)