VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Ambassador to Namibia Wisnu Edi Pratignyo (in grey suit) during a meeting with Namibian Foreign Affairs Ministry's Director of Bilateral Affairs Sabine Moller and Director of the United Nations World Food Program to Namibia George Fedha on Monday (January 29, 2024). (ANTARA/HO-KBRI Windhoek) - 

Voinews, Jakarta - The Indonesian Government is committed to solidifying relations and stepping up development cooperation with African countries, including Namibia, Indonesian Ambassador to Namibia Wisnu Edi Pratignyo stated.

According to a statement received here on Wednesday (Jan 31) from the Indonesian Embassy in Windhoek, Pratignyo met with Namibian Foreign Affairs Ministry's Director of Bilateral Affairs Sabine Moller and Director of the UN World Food Program to Namibia George Fedha on Monday (Jan 29).

"Indonesia is ready to broaden the extent of fields covered by Indonesia-Namibia development cooperation to include agriculture, fishery, and education," he noted.

In its statement, the embassy highlighted that Moller and Fedha warmly welcomed the ambassador's offer, particularly concerning the agriculture sector. The cooperation is expected to further strengthen ties between Indonesia and Namibia and help the two countries grow their economy.

During the meeting, Pratignyo also stated that Indonesia would host the Indonesia-Africa Forum II in May this year to demonstrate the country's genuine commitment to strengthening bonds with countries in Africa.

"The Indonesia-Africa Forum II is expected to serve as an effective platform for deepening cooperation and paving the way for even closer relations between Indonesia and African countries," the ambassador noted.

The first edition of the Indonesia-Africa Forum took place in Indonesia's Bali Province in 2018.

Africa was among the continents visited by Indonesian President Joko Widodo last year. The president stated that Indonesia and African countries share longstanding historical relations, given that Indonesia was the pioneer and host of the Asia-Africa Conference in 1955.

During the period of August 20-25 last year, President Widodo had visited the African continent for the first time ever in the capacity of head of state.

Widodo had the opportunity to visit four African countries, namely Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Africa. The president made the most of his inaugural visits to hold high-level bilateral meetings with the aim of exploring bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including trade, investment, and development//ANT-VOI

Ambassador Jermey during the launch of a bamboo internet tower in Sumba (British Embassy doc) -

Voinews, Jakarta - British Ambassador to Indonesia Dominic Jermey visited Sumba Island, East Nusa Tenggara on 30 January – 1 February 2024. During his visit, the Ambassador launched the first Bamboo Internet Tower in Sumba Barat Daya, serving approximately 400 people from surrounding villages, addressing digital connectivity challenges as well as supporting economic empowerment in rural and remote areas.

This community-owned internet tower was built through a partnership between the UK’s Digital Access Programme (DAP), local NGO Common Room, and Don Bosco Training Centre. The Digital Access Programme catalyses inclusive, affordable, safe, and secure digital access for excluded or underserved populations in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil and Indonesia.

The DAP uses increased digital inclusion as a basis for more thriving digital ecosystems that stimulate innovations for local development challenges and the creation of local skilled jobs. In Indonesia, the Digital Access Programme has directly benefitted 68,000 people with improved digital connectivity, skills, literacy, and services.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Thursday (01/02/24), since 2020, the UK has spent £2m through local implementing partners across 18 provinces in Indonesia. Ambassador Jermey also had the opportunity to visit the solar power plant in Mata Redi and MataWoga villages, which is part of the UK-Indonesia just energy transition partnership MENTARI programme (Towards Indonesia’s Low Carbon Energy Transition). 

The 95 kWp solar power plant which was completed in 2022, supplies electricity to 243 houses, 14 public facilities such as schools, health centers, offices and for street lighting twenty-four hours a day.

“I am very pleased to visit this beautiful island of Sumba and witness how the UK-Indonesia partnership in digital access and just energy transition through the MENTARI programme, have made significant impact on the local communities. As we celebrate UK-Indonesia's 75 th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, our MENTARI programme and the building of the Bamboo Internet Tower in Sumba is another strong example of the UK’s commitment to deepen our partnership with Indonesia to support remote communities and reduce poverty. The first bamboo internet tower built through the UK’s Digital Access Programme, demonstrates our serious commitment to work with Indonesia in enhancing digital inclusion and literacy for rural development. The UK’s flagship MENTARI programme has also been successful by involving communities, especially women and the younger generation, to make a positive contribution to their villages, and to realise their economic potential, and climate resilience through renewable energy", Ambassador Jermey said. 

Meanwhile the Director of Geothermal, Directorate General of New and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Harris Yahya said that the Ministr is pleased to collaborate with British Embassy Jakarta through the MENTARI programme to develop renewable energy-based electricity for people in Mata Redi and Mata Woga.

“MEMR is pleased to collaborate with British Embassy Jakarta through the MENTARI programme to develop renewable energy-based electricity for people in Mata Redi and Mata Woga. The holistic approach used in the programme allows us to have an optimum solar PV system operability and ensure its benefits for villagers. MENTARI project in Sumba have successfully empowered them to use the power efficiently and productively, which leads to an improvement in their livelihoods and creating a more inclusive community” He said. 

The warm welcome was not only come from the Ministry but also from the Acting Regent of Central Sumba Dr Lery Rupidara who stated that development in the local economy is more inclusive in the community as the result of trainings provided by MENTARI.

"I am pleased to welcome British Ambassador, Mr. Dominic Jermey on his first visit to Sumba. It has now been more than one year that the community enjoy the benefits of having electricity access in Mata Redi and Mata Woga. I am very happy to see the development in the local economy and a more inclusive community as the result of trainings provided by MENTARI. Sumba has lots of potential to be explored and we're happy that Sumba can take part in the global action to tackle climate change by maximising it's renewable energy potential", He added//VOI 

FILE PHOTO: A logo of Publicis Groupe is seen at its exhibition space, at the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France June 15, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo - 

Voinews, Jakarta - Publicis, the world's largest advertising group by market value, said on Thursday it will invest 300 million euros ($326.94 million) in artificial intelligence (AI) over the next three years, as part of its new plan to become "the industry's first AI-powered intelligent system".

The group said in a film presentation - ahead of it annual results publication in February - that it will invest 100 million euros in 2024 alone, fully funded by "internal efficiencies" and with no dilutive impact on its operating margin.

The maker of the Heineken and Barilla pasta campaigns reported in its presentation organic growth in 2023 of 6.3 per cent, exceeding the 5.5 per cent to 6 per cent guidance range shared in October.

"In terms of strategy, it was important for us to show the financial market that we were starting from a position of strength," said CEO Arthur Sadoun in a press conference, regarding the early figure.

Publicis said in its presentation that it plans to integrate AI further into its current platform model, connecting every individual in the company to an entity called "CoreAI", that the group started engineering in the second half of 2023, to start implementing it in the first half of 2024.

"CoreAI is based on the data we have acquired, but also the one that we have built over this past decade," Sadoun said.

Half of the 2024 investment will be focused on upskilling and training people as well as recruitment, while the other half will be dedicated to tech, licences, software and cloud infrastructure.

Asked about prospective acquisitions, Sadoun answered, "our transformation is behind us", adding that the group will now focus on lesser investments in tech, IP and talent.

Publicis' recent strong performance runs counter to a general slowdown in the advertising industry, seen as a bellwether for broader economic health//VOI

File - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. (ANTARA FOTO/Fikri Yusuf/YU) - 

Voinews, Jakarta - Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan denied that mining industry downstream projects in the country were dominated by foreign workers.

"The number of foreign workers is now only around 10-15 percent," he stated in a video on his Instagram account on Wednesday.

Those foreign workers were needed during the initial stage of mining operations, he explained.

"We did not have the quality of human resources to do it at that time," he said.

Nevertheless, he ensured that the number of foreign workers would decline as more local human resources were being trained for the downstream industry.

"Now, in stages, the percentage is declining because there have been many people that we have trained. That is a process that we must go through," he explained.

Pandjaitan said that a metal industry polytechnic had also been established in Morowali District, Central Sulawesi, in order to create a competent industrial workforce. He also stated that several students of the polytechnic were sent to learn in China, and currently, those students have become part of a smelter construction project in Sulawesi.

"A polytechnic has been established there. I think it is good, and the lecturers are high-class. There are some from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and the University of Indonesia (UI) that we invite to teach there," he remarked//ANT-VOI