VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Sunday that the government is supporting Vanuatu's post- disaster recovery by sending 20 tons of building materials for the rehabilitation of the Bauerfield International Airport in Port Vila.

The delivery of the assistance is aimed at assisting Vanuatu's recovery efforts in areas severely affected by cyclones Judy and Kevin in early March.

According to the ministry, the assistance had been transported on early Sunday via the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, and was expected to arrive in Port Vila on the same day.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing are the institutions that are responsible for the delivery of the assistance.

Officials representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, and state-owned construction company PT Pembangunan Perumahan (PT PP) witnessed the departure.

The Foreign Ministry said the aid package for the airport's rehabilitation project revealed Indonesian people's solidarity with the people of Vanuatu.

The rehabilitation project was started on August 22.It was marked by a groundbreaking ceremony, attended by Indonesian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pahala Nugraha Mansury and Foreign Minister of Vanuatu Matai Seremaiah Nawalu.

Apart from repairing the damaged infrastructure at the Bauerfield International Airport, it is also intended to strengthen relations between the two countries, the Foreign Ministry said.

The involvement of Indonesian contractors and workers in the project reflected a close collaboration between the two countries in the development efforts, according to the ministry on its official website on Sunday.

The rehabilitation project is predicted to be completed in late October or early November.

After its completion, it would officially be handed over by the Indonesian Government to the Government of Vanuatu, the Foreign Ministry said. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - China is willing to offer assistance to Sri Lanka without political conditions and buy more of its exports, President Xi Jinping told his Sri Lankan counterpart on Friday in Beijing, state media said.

The assurances came a week after the crisis-hit island nation said it had reached agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China on $4.2 billion of debt, a fraction of the roughly $7 billion it owes Chinese lenders, both bilateral and commercial.

"The two sides should make every effort to promote Colombo port city and Hambantota," Xi told Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, a summary of their meeting showed, referring to major projects China has backed in its 'Belt and Road' effort.

Wickremesinghe was in the Chinese capital for the Belt and Road Forum that ended on Wednesday as well as talks on restructuring debt.

"China is willing to continue to provide assistance to Sri Lanka without attaching political conditions, to help it cope with the difficulties it faces," Xi added.

Last May Sri Lanka defaulted on its foreign debt as dollar reserves fell to a point where it was unable to pay for essential imports such as fuel and medicine.

"China is willing to expand the import of Sri Lanka's ... products and will encourage Chinese enterprises to invest," Xi said. (Reuters)

VOINews, Jakarta - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol left for Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Saturday to discuss business cooperation as well as to discuss security conditions amid the crisis in the Middle East, his office said.

Yoon, in what would be the first state visit by a South Korean leader, will hold talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday, and will travel to Qatar on Oct. 24-25 for a summit and to attend a business forum.

The state visit takes place roughly a year after the Saudi crown prince visited South Korea and discussed cooperation in the areas of energy, defence and infrastructure construction, signing investment pacts worth $30 billion with Korean firms.

Business leaders accompanying President Yoon include Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Jay Y. Lee, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair E.S. Chung and the heads of Hanwha, GS, and HD Hyundai conglomerates, according to Yoon's office. (Reuters)

VOINews, Jakarta - Officials from the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration (Kemendes PDTT) and several village heads are visiting Dongziguan village in Fuyang, Hangzhou city, China, to study sustainable village development practices.

"Apart from that, the village heads will also learn how Dongziguan village maintains cultural heritage, as well as share experiences with village communities in China," director general of transmigration area (PPKTrans) development at the ministry, Danton Ginting, informed in a statement released in Jakarta on Friday.

It is hoped that the visit will strengthen cooperation between the two countries in promoting sustainable village development, he said.

Dongziguan village has a history of more than 1,500 years, and it is an attractive destination for a benchmarking study because the village has cultural heritage and is rich in Chinese historical sites, he added.

He said that Dongziguan village has preserved nearly a hundred ancient buildings dating back to the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the civil war, including the Xu's grand family mansion, Anya Hall, Long Pool Hall, Yue Shi Temple, Chunhe Hall, and Zhu Jia Hall.

The benchmarking study is being conducted from October 15–25, 2023. A total of 20 village heads from several Indonesian provinces have joined the visit to network and exchange ideas and experiences with villages in China.

The benchmarking study is the result of a collaboration between the Ministry of Village PDTT of the Republic of Indonesia and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) of China.

Ginting said that during the study, each delegate will exchange knowledge and best practices in an effort to achieve common goals in the sustainable development of rural areas.

"This collaboration is an important milestone in rural development in both countries," he added. (Antaranews)