Firefighters exstinguish a peatland fire in Pekanbaru, Riau province, on Feb 1, 2018. (Source: AFP) Jakarta (VNA) – Singapore’s efforts to restore its peatlands destroyed by fire can serve as an example for other countries facing similar issues, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Erik Solheim has stated. Praising Indonesia for its success in peatland governance, Solheim said that the international community is paying close attention to how Indonesia manages its more than 15 million ha of peatland, one of the largest areas in the world. Forest fires on peatlands in Sumatra and Kalimantan in 2015 led to trans-boundary haze that blanketed the region and resulted in record air pollution levels across Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore for months that year. Since then, Indonesia has managed to limit the amount of land burned and prevented a repeat of the 2015 crisis. President Joko Widodo has also made the issue of illegal forest fires and peatland … [Read more...] about UN praises Indonesia’s efforts to restore peatlands
Indonesia
Indonesia wins 12 awards at WSIS 2018 forum in Geneva
The Indonesia-based news agency reported on March 22 that the awards were given to Indonesian Ambassador to the UN Hasan Kleib by the UN’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) during the WSIS 2018 Forum. The event took place in Geneva, Switzerland from March 19-23. Receiving the awards, Kleib said he hopes that they would boost the development of IT in Indonesia. "In 2017, Indonesia had received four awards, and this year, we won 12 of them. This is incredible that our innovation in information and communication technology has been highly lauded by the UN," Kleib remarked. As a forum for sharing updates and innovation on information and communication technology, the WSIS has regularly awarded initiatives in 18 categories. Before receiving the awards, these initiatives had been carefully reviewed by experts from around the world. For the "Government Portal for Viralable Public Policy Communication" category, the award was presented to the "Indonesiabaik.id" website, … [Read more...] about Indonesia wins 12 awards at WSIS 2018 forum in Geneva
Asia Coffee-Indonesia trading increases, demand slows in Vietnam
An upcoming mini harvest boosted trading in Indonesia coffee but slowed down demand for the beans in regional rival Vietnam, traders said on Thursday. Indonesia coffee trading this week has been increasing and is expected to be even more robust next month when its mini harvest season peaks, a trader said. "The volume will be better than last year, but our concern now is whether there's still a lot of rain. Too much rain will disturb the quality," said Moelyono Susilo, a trader at PT Taman Delta Indonesia. Susilo expects Indonesia's 2018 total coffee output to increase to around 11 to 11.5 million 60-kg bags, from 9.5 million bags in 2017. In rival Vietnam, the world's top robusta producer, farmers quoted beans at 37,500 dong ($1.65) a kilogram in Dak Lak province, the country's main coffee growing region, compared to 37,400-37,700 dong a week earlier, traders said. Vietnamese traders quoted the 5 percent black and broken grade 2 robusta at a discount of $50-$60 per tonne to the ICE May … [Read more...] about Asia Coffee-Indonesia trading increases, demand slows in Vietnam
Indonesia urges ASEAN to strengthen patrols in East Sea
Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu made the statement at a joint press conference in Sydney on March 16 after talks with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Defence Minister Marise Payne ahead the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu Minister Ryacudu said he has gone around to ASEAN defence ministers so that each country that faces the East Sea patrols around 230 kilometres. Indonesia is focusing on the Sulu Sea and the Malacca Strait as well as cooperating with Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines in the field, he added. ASEAN countries have secured almost half of the East Sea that they are patrolling, according to the minister. The same day, Indonesia and Australia signed a navigation cooperation agreement, including economic and security development, prevention of illegal fishing, and sustainable management of natural resources. Source: VNA … [Read more...] about Indonesia urges ASEAN to strengthen patrols in East Sea
Indonesia commits to protecting workers overseas
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Marsudi (Photo: antaranews) Jakarta (VNA) - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on March 11 that it is committed to bringing policy innovations and better protection for Indonesian citizens working overseas. The message was conveyed by Minister Marsudi during her visit to Singapore. To provide service to Indonesians overseas, starting on April 1, 2018, all Indonesian representatives overseas will gradually apply an Information System of Indonesian Citizens Service and Protection accessible in the Peduli WNI website. Peduli WNI website is a service system for Indonesians overseas which is integrated online with national civil data of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Immigration, Ministry of Law and Human Rights, and employment data of the Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BNP2TKI) and the Ministry of Manpower. During a meeting with around 4,500 Indonesian workers in … [Read more...] about Indonesia commits to protecting workers overseas