VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Central Region of Bengawan Solo riverine areas (BBWS) said the Gondang dam project now under construction in the sub-district of Kerjo, Karanganyar, Central Java is expected to start functioning in 2020.

"Construction is expected to be completed in in March or April 2019," head of the BBWS Charisal Akdian Manu said in Solo, Central Java, on Friday.

Charisal said it would take around a year to fill the dam full with river water or rain water before it would function.

The dam with a capacity of 9 million cubic meters of water would also serve to supply drinking water for the local people in the districts of Karanganyar and Sragen, he said.

The dam, which has been built since 2015 at a cost of around Rp600 billion, would be able to help irrigate 4,000 hectares of rice fields in the two districts.

"The budget does not include for pipelines , irrigation system and other facilities," Charisal said.

The district administration and the Central Government have grown 200 durian trees around the dam , he said, adding "Gondang is known for its durian."

The durian will contribute to the attraction of the dam as a tourist destination, he said. (ANTARA)

The Indonesian Agency for Creative Economy (Bekraf) will hold the first ever "World Conference on Creative Economy" (WCCE) in Nusa Dua, Bali, on November 6-8, 2018.

"Indonesia will host a `World Conference on Creative Economy` in Bali. Since this idea was launched last year by Bekraf, preparations are almost 95 percent complete," Bekraf`s Director of Foreign Relations, Kartika Candra Negara, stated here on Friday.

Negara explained that the WCCE is a conference held to discuss issues and challenges pertaining to the creative economy.

He remarked that WCCE will be attended by the creative economy stakeholders from some 50 countries representing various regions in this world.

Moreover, there will be participants representing international organizations, such as WIPO and UNCTAD ITC. These stakeholders along with academicians and those from business, community, bureaucracy, and media backgrounds will attend WCCE to be held at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Centre.

"This conference involves all circles that are strategic components that should unite to advance the creative economy," Chandra remarked.

Based on the theme of "Inclusively Creative," WCCE will discuss five main issues: social cohesion, regulations, marketing, ecosystem, and financing.

Concerning the issue of social cohesion, a panel discussion will be held on ways in which creative economy can provide equal opportunities for all, how cross-cultural exchanges through creative economy can reinforce social cohesion to unite people, and how the internet of things (IoT), among contemporary digital changes, can help break down barriers for entrepreneurship.

Another panel will be focused on regulatory frameworks dedicated to creating an enabling environment for creative economy and on protection and promotion of intellectual property and supporting the financing system. A panel discussion will also be held to highlight the potential of untapped markets and effective marketing strategies.

Moreover, a panel will discuss the role of small and medium enterprises, including startups, in the development of the creative economy. It will identify their values, constraints, and the need to create an enabling environment, such as through creative cities, and provide necessary support for the talents through trainings and capacity building.

Furthermore, the conference will attempt to outline the future of creative economy that has brought a new era of inclusive business that provides equal opportunities to all stakeholders. It also bridges the communication gap and increases understanding between countries and cultures. With the growth of technology and increasing incomes from emerging economies, it is apparent that the creative economy will become the future of the global economy. (ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) received the Minister of Economy and Energy of the Federal Republic of Germany Peter Altmaier at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta Thursday (1/11). On this occasion, the President was accompanied by the Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Thomas Lembong and the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Ignasius Jonan. After the meeting, Thomas Lembong explained that President Jokowi and Minister Altmaier discussed the industrial revolution 4.0 (four point zero).

“Germany is very strong in industrial internet or B to B, from corporate to corporate, but still weak in B to C, business to consumer. While we are strong in B to C like Tokopedia, Traveloka, Bukalapak. They are all B to C. That's an example where our strengths complement each other. Interestingly the minister conveyed, perhaps the most important of all the fourth or 4.0 industrial technology was artificial intelligence, machine intelligence. In his opinion, it was the most powerful creation since the steam engine was invented 200 years ago. In the future in the industrial field, machine intelligence will be the same as the impact of electricity. All machines, all production will be powered by machine intelligence,” . Thomas Lembong said.

Head of Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Thomas Lembong said President Jokowi and Minister Altmaier also discussed vocational education. This has actually been discussed by Indonesia-Germany, during Jokowi's visit to Germany three years ago. Vocational education in this case is vocational training, practical skills for workers to master mechanical engineering, machinery, such as industrial machinery, automotive machinery. Regarding industry 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution President Joko Widodo and Minister of Economy and Energy of the Federal Republic of Germany Peter Altmaier also talked about robotic and automation. (rri.co.id/RINI/AHM)

Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said he always pushes for crude palm oil agreement in his trade negotiations with other countries including in the Indonesia-European Free Trade Association (IEFTA) and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IE-CEPA).

"In every trade talk we give priority to CPO agreement," Lukita told participants at the 14th Indonesia Palm Oil Conference (IPOC) & 2019 Price Outlook, in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Thursday.

At the international conference attended by business players, academicians, observers, and representatives of farmers, the Minister said palm oil industry plays an important role in the country`s economic development including in the creation of jobs and elimination of poverty.

"From upstream to downstream, palm oil industry contributed 13.7 percent to Indonesia’s export earning of US$168.8 billion in 2017," he said.

In the IEFTA with Switzerland , one of the priorities is palm oil, he said.

The Minister, however, did not answer when asked about the export target for CPO and derivatives if the agreement is signed expected this month.

IEFTA-CEPA is a trade agreement yet to be reached between Indonesia and four European countries - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Indonesia has pushed hard for immediate signing of the agreement.

The Minister, however, reminded the Indonesian palm oil producers to observe the demand of world`s consumers for healthy, safe and environmentally friendly products.

"We have to prove that our palm oil could contribute to the United Nations` goal of sustainable development," he said.

Palm oil - CPO and derivatives - is the country`s largest export earner outside oil and gas sector. Indonesia is the world`s largest producer and exporter of CPO. (ANTARA)