VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - The Government of New Zealand has agreed to extend cooperation in the geothermal field with the Indonesian Government to accelerate geothermal development and support the energy transition in Indonesia.

"We are very grateful to have good cooperation with the New Zealand Government through MFAT (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) and the New Zealand Embassy," Indonesian Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif said at a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday.

This joint effort is expected to be able to accelerate geothermal development in Indonesia and provide sustainable solutions to support Indonesia's energy transition, he said.

He informed that the New Zealand Government, through the MFAT, has committed to extending cooperation in the geothermal sector with Indonesia for the 2023–2028 period, with a total grant of 15.64 million New Zealand dollars (NZD), which is equivalent to Rp147.8 billion.

The cooperation program has been named the Indonesia-Aotearoa New Zealand Geothermal Energy Program (PINZ).

At the press conference, Tasrif also emphasized Indonesia's decarbonization commitment, which was also encouraged through the focus of Indonesia's G20 Presidency and the achievement of the Bali Compact that gathered commitment from G20 countries toward energy transition.

In addition, the minister said that Indonesia's electricity needs are projected to reach 1,942 kWh by 2060. The challenge will be to provide this electricity using renewable energy sources that are affordable, reliable, and sustainable.

"To increase the use of clean energy, Indonesia will build around 700 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy power plants, considering that Indonesia has abundant sources of renewable energy, reaching more than 3,600 GW," he noted.

According to him, New Zealand also has significant resources and expertise for developing geothermal projects, including direct utilization and innovation in geothermal operations, such as green hydrogen production and carbon capture storage (CCS).

Meanwhile, New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said that PINZ's commitment is based on achievements and will further expand Indonesia's access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy.

Aotearoa New Zealand is strengthening support for Indonesia's geothermal energy sector through continued investment in the PINZ program. This collaboration will help reduce climate emissions and benefit the Indo-Pacific region broadly, she added.

Mahuta said the PINZ program aims to increase the contribution of geothermal energy for realizing Indonesia's renewable energy targets through technical assistance and capacity building.

This commitment of 15.6 million NZD will help Indonesia to achieve its renewable energy target through the provision of technical assistance and capacity building in three main areas, namely the regulatory framework, geothermal exploration, and increasing the skills and technical capacity of the workforce, she added.

The funding will be provided for five years based on the long-standing good relationship between New Zealand and Indonesia in geothermal development, she said. (Antaranews)

VOInews, Jakarta: Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi held a bilateral meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) meeting in Jakarta (13/7). Both Foreign Ministers expressed their satisfaction with the ongoing bilateral cooperation.

The two Foreign Ministers discussed preparations for the 43rd ASEAN Summit and the G20 Summit, which will be held on September 5-7, 2023 in Indonesia and September 9-10, 2023 in India, respectively. Both agreed to intensify communication so that the two summits run smoothly and produce useful things for the world.

Foreign Minister Retno and Foreign Minister Jaishankar also discussed the issue of Myanmar. India reiterated its support for ASEAN centrality and the 5 Point Consensus.

On July 12, 2023, Foreign Minister Retno met with Foreign Minister Jaishankar and Foreign Minister Penny Wong (Australia) in a Trilateral Meeting format. This was the second meeting, after the first meeting was held in New York City in September 2022. (VOI)

VOInews, Jakarta: Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi held a bilateral meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) meeting in Jakarta (13/7). Both Foreign Ministers expressed their satisfaction with the ongoing bilateral cooperation.

The two Foreign Ministers discussed preparations for the 43rd ASEAN Summit and the G20 Summit, which will be held on September 5-7, 2023 in Indonesia and September 9-10, 2023 in India, respectively. Both agreed to intensify communication so that the two summits run smoothly and produce useful things for the world.

Foreign Minister Retno and Foreign Minister Jaishankar also discussed the issue of Myanmar. India reiterated its support for ASEAN centrality and the 5 Point Consensus.

On July 12, 2023, Foreign Minister Retno met with Foreign Minister Jaishankar and Foreign Minister Penny Wong (Australia) in a Trilateral Meeting format. This was the second meeting, after the first meeting was held in New York City in September 2022. (VOI)

VOInews, Jakarta: Indonesia hopes Australia can become ASEAN's main partner in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The statement was made by Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi at the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) meeting with Australia in Jakarta, Thursday (07/13/2023).

Foreign Minister Retno said Australia could be a positive force in the region by supporting ASEAN centrality. She underlined Australia's status as one of the four ASEAN partners with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

"We have great expectations for Australia to become a positive force in the region and support ASEAN centrality in shaping regional dynamics," Retno said.

Foreign Minister Retno said that there are two areas of cooperation that can be focused on.

First, on the issue of peace and stability in the region. Retno said that Australia and ASEAN can serve as an anchor of stability in the Indo-Pacific.

"We need to build an inclusive regional architecture, where all parties feel safe and contribute to regional prosperity. Australia can be a true partner of ASEAN and become an anchor of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific," Retno said.

Second, Australia is expected to become a development partner in the Pacific region. In this regard, Foreign Minister Retno said that the Pacific region is an inseparable part of the Indo-Pacific. For this reason, concrete cooperation between ASEAN and Pacific countries is needed, including in the fields of climate action and disaster risk reduction, food security, and blue economy.

Foreign Minister Retno also hoped that Australia's support for cooperation between the ASEAN Secretariat and the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) will begin this year.

At this meeting, Foreign Ministers of ASEAN countries expected an increase in concrete cooperation with Australia in a number of areas, namely trade, connectivity, health, education, transportation, climate change, and sustainable energy.

They also hope Australia can become an anchor of economic growth in the Southern part of the Indo-Pacific. In addition, ASEAN countries also expect Australia to support regional stability and peace, including by supporting ASEAN's common position on the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong affirmed support for ASEAN's centrality in maintaining stability and realizing regional prosperity, through the concrete implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). In addition, Australia has also formulated a Strategy for Southeast Asia 2040 to enhance economic cooperation with ASEAN.

The meeting agreed on a Concept Note for the ASEAN-Australia Commemorative Summit. The ASEAN-Australia Commemorative Summit will be held next year. (VOI)