VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno LP Marsudi met her Japanese counterpart, Motegi Toshimitsu in  Jakarta, Friday (10/1). The meeting resulted in strengthening cooperation in several strategic sectors; one of which is economic cooperation in the outer islands of Indonesia, including Natuna. The two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of integrated marine and fisheries center development.

Previously, Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu had met President Joko Widodo at the State Palace in Jakarta. On that occasion, President Joko Widodo asked for Japan to invest in Natuna, Riau Islands. He also expressed his appreciation for Japan's cooperation in building the first phase of the Center for Marine and Fisheries in Indonesia. President Joko Widodo hopes that Japan can follow up the proposal to provide funding for the second phase of the Natuna Center  development since Japan is one of Indonesia's main partners.

After a meeting with Minister Toshimitsu, Minister Retno Marsudi explained that Japan is committed to expanding investment in Indonesia . The country  also supports  Indonesia's industrial modernization and its  desire to become a hub of re-exports of Japanese manufacturing products in the region. In addition to cooperation on Natuna and the outer islands, they agreed to establish a dialogue mechanism at the level of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in a bid to discuss strengthening strategic sector cooperation. According to Minister Retno Marsudi, both sides also agreed to strengthen the trilateral cooperation among  Indonesia, Japan and Timor Leste.

Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu expressed his country's readiness to support the Government of Indonesia's priority programs to realize superior human resources. Japan is ready to provide support for the development of vocational training and Japanese language training, including for the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) and Indonesian skilled workers who will be sent to Japan.

In addition to meeting with Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu also met Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan to further discuss Japan's investment plans for Indonesia. According to Minister  Luhut, Japan plans to invest its capital in Natuna in the fisheries and tourism sector and to strengthen the Sea Security Agency. He  also revealed  that besides Japan,  the United States  would also  invest in Natuna through the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) or the American Development Bank.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo left for Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Sunday morning (12/01). Some of the agendas to be carried out by President Joko Widodo include bilateral meetings with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and attending the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week meeting. In the forum, President Joko Widodo will be the keynote speaker to discuss  sustainable development, and energy.

However, the most important goal of the President Jokowi's visit to Abu Dhabi is a meeting with the Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. Besides talking about matters relating to Islam and Wakaf or endowments,  both parties will also expand cooperation in the investment sector.

The visit to the United Arab Emirates is President Joko Widodo's first overseas working visit in 2020 carried out as a follow-up to the UAE Crown Prince's visit to Indonesia in June last year. The president intends to 'fetch' an investment of 4 billion US dollars to  be disbursed by the United Arab Emirates. During a visit to Abu Dhabi, President Joko Widodo is scheduled to sign four Memorandums of Understanding in the investment sector.

The first cooperation is Balikpapan Refinery project between the Emirates’ oil and gas company, Mubadalah and PT Pertamina from Indonesia. The second one is Balongan Refinery project, which will be undertaken by Pertamina along with another company from the Emirates, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc). The third cooperation is the employment contract between Enterprise Global Aluminum (EGA) and PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminum (Inalum), and the fourth one is a working  project between PT PLN Indonesia and Masdar in a floating solar power plant project in Cirata Reservoir, West Java.

Data from the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) on 31 October 2019 shows Singapore is still listed as the highest country to invest in Indonesia with an investment value of US$ 1.9 billion dollars, followed by the Netherlands at US$ 1.4 billion, and China with a value of US$1 billion dollars.

In 2020, the BKPM targets an investment achievement worth Rp886 trillion. The influx of large amount of investment is expected to help the economy continue grow amid a global economic slowdown.

United Arab Emirates' investment in Indonesia worth US$ 4 billion dollars or Rp56 trillion shows the country's high level of confidence in the investment climate in Indonesia. This also shows that Indonesia is still an attractive country to invest and proves that the level of global investors’ confidence in Indonesia is still quite good.

The signing of the four Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) in the field of investment between Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates is also expected to further enhance world confidence in the investment sector in Indonesia.

Indonesia prepares to hold a consultation meeting in a bid to discuss Indonesia's mineral and coal policy with the European Union.  The preparation of the consultation meeting was discussed in a consolidation meeting between Indonesian Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related ministries / institutions and stakeholders in the mining sector on Tuesday (7/1) at the Ministry of Trade Office, Jakarta. The consultation meeting between Indonesia and the European Union is scheduled to take place on 30th January 2020 at the office of the International Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland. Previously, Indonesia had agreed to a request for consultation by the European Union within the framework of the WTO to discuss Indonesia's mineral and coal policies on 29 November 2019.

Tension  between the United States and Iran has escalated.  The enmity has escalated after the death of Iran's supreme commander Qassem Soleimani in the US air strikes ordered by President Donald Trump.  In response to the conflict, Indonesian  Ministry of foreign affair acting Spokesman /  Teuku Faizasyah, in Jakarta on Monday, 1/6 approved that his side has issued  alertness appeal for Indonesian citizens living in Iran and Iraq.  Regarding with  developments in the US and Iran relations, both Indonesian embassies in Iraq and  Iran have issued an appeal to Indonesian citizens to raise alertness.

President Joko Widodo is scheduled to hold his first official working visit in 2020 to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), with a focus on increasing cooperation in the economic-energy sector that will bring an investment agreement worth 18.8 billion US dollars. Indonesian Foreign Minister  / Retno Marsudi explained  on Tuesday  that the President's major objective to Abu Dhabi is a bilateral meeting with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Abu Dhabi Vice-President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on 11-13 January 2020. The focus of the official working visit will be on investment cooperation in the field of  oil and gas and mineral.

Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo fully supports Program of Bali Province to achieve One-Million-Bali Cattle by 2025. That was stated by the Minister when witnessing the signing of three MoUs between Agriculture Ministry and Bali Governor in Denpasar, on January 4, 2020.

One of the MoUs was about One Million Bali Cattle Supports National Top Commodity Cattle-Buffalo Program. According to Minister Syahrul, Bali is a province with vast potential of farming and agriculture. With the MoUs, the Ministry will fully support farming and agriculture programs in Bali.

In a written statement received by Media on Monday (Jan6), Minister Syahrul said, the MoU aims to increase agricultural development towards advanced, independent, and modern agriculture. Furthermore, the Minister hoped that the agricultural products can be exported by increasing production and productivity. This move is in line with three-fold export movement.

Meanwhile, Bali Governor Wayan Koster said that Bali is an agriculture-based province, and food supply is one of the main programs. The Governor said, support by Agriculture Ministry to increase agricultural production and productivity in Bali is very important in supporting programs of Balinese people and regional government. Wayan Koster added, Bali is rich of local agricultural commodities such as orange, salak (snake fruit), coffee, cattle, goats, and others. However, these commodities are yet to be utilized optimally. Later, Agriculture Ministry’s support is expected to optimize this potential.

Especially related to the One Million Bali Cattle by 2025 Program, Livestock and Animal Health Director General I Ketut Diarmita said, the target can be achieved if there is increase of mother cow around 30 to 45 percent, and supported by increasing of calf birth around 80 to 85 percent from the total brood cows.

Meanwhile, the slaughter of productive female cows in Bali must be decreased until 5 to 10 percent from the currently recorded slaughter, and death of newborn calves must be lowered to below 5 percent.