Indonesia pushes full steam ahead on G20 Summit preparations by Fardah

 Jakarta, Sept 29, 2022 (ANTARA) - Indonesia will host the G20 Summit for the first time on the Bali Islands, one of the world’s most famous tourist resorts, on November 15 and 16, 2022, as part of its presidency of the grouping. 

The theme of Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, which it assumed on December 2021, is “Recover Together, Recover Stronger.”

The Group 20 (G20) is a strategic multilateral platform connecting the world’s major developed and emerging economies: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Spain is a permanent guest at the G20.

The members of the grouping account for more than 80 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP), 75 percent of global trade, and 60 percent of the population of the planet.

The Indonesian government has been intensively preparing for the summit with the assumption that all G20 leaders such as Vladimir Putin of Russia, Joe Biden of the US, Anthony Albanese of Australia, and King Salman of Saudi Arabia will join the Bali Summit in person.  

The preparations have covered security matters, logistics, transportation, accommodation, infrastructure development, and other facilities, including the media center and emergency medical response for delegates, among others. 

So far, the preparations have been on the right track, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi.

"In the logistics and the substantial aspects, we are ready. I also believe that our preparation progress is on the right track," she told the press after reporting on the progress of preparations to President Joko Widodo at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on September 9, 2022.

HARMONIZING HEALTH PROTOCOL STANDARDS EXPECTED TO HELP BOOST MOBILITY by Fardah

 

Jakarta, 31/3/2022 (ANTARA) - With many countries struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has pummelled the health and economic sectors over the past two years, Indonesia has chosen Recover Together, Recover Stronger as the theme of its G20 Presidency.

The country has identified three priorities in the G20 Health Working Group (HWG), according to Dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi, secretary of the Public Health Directorate of the Health Ministry.

The priorities are building global health system resilience, harmonizing global health protocol standards, and expanding global manufacturing and knowledge centers for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

"Having learned a lesson on COVID-19 handling, Indonesias G20 Presidency is aimed at promoting the world to recover together and stronger in the post-COVID-19 pandemic (era). Thats the message, Tarmizi remarked.

Hence, the country is hoping that the G20 will make a commitment to developing a mechanism to mobilize financing resources and health facilities and infrastructure, particularly for countries that cannot afford to fund COVID-19 handling.

"Indonesia has a strong foundation in gotong royong (mutual help). This will be transmitted. Under the spirit of gotong royong, it doesn't matter whether a country is capable or not, but every nation should contribute to helping each other," Tarmizi said.

Under Indonesias Presidency, G20 is scheduled to hold three meetings of HWG. The first meeting was organized in Yogyakarta from March 28 to 30, 2022.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that the synchronization of global health protocols could begin with G20 countries to enable smoother application and make international travel easier.

"We can start from the G20. That way it will facilitate the adoption of this health protocol standard in other countries," Minister Sadikin said during a G20 HWG press conference on 'Harmonizing Global Health Protocol Standards' in Yogyakarta on March 28.

The measure is aimed at ensuring that there are unified standards with regard to regulations on PCR tests and quarantine, among others, which differ from country to country at present.

The minister said that health protocol standards for international travel can be changed, just like the global immigration system.

He further said he is confident that the adoption of global health protocol standards can be achieved given the current state of digital technology development.

INDONESIA TO PUSH FOR SUPPORT FOR ENERGY TRANSITION DURING G20 PRESIDENCY by Fardah

Jakarta, 28/11/2021 (ANTARA) - Energy transition will be a topic of discussion during the Sherpass meeting of the G20, which will be the first activity to be held during Indonesias G20 Presidency.

There will be 11 working groups and 1 initiative under the Sherpa Track, with the first Sherpas' meeting scheduled for December 78, 2021, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi informed in Jakarta on November 26, 2021.

A green energy transition is crucial for many developing countries, including Indonesia, which has voiced its commitment to helping achieve the target of the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The country has pledged to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in 2030 by cutting gas emissions by 29 percent under a business-as-usual scenario or 41 percent with international support.

In fact, Indonesia has created a roadmap for its energy transition to achieve the target of net-zero emissions by 2060, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif said recently.



To achieve the target, it has outlined strategies that encompass an extensive development of new and renewable energy and gradual retirement of fossil fuel-fired power plants, in accordance with their age, he informed.

Moreover, the government will, in stages, make optimum use of pump storage, battery energy, storage system (BESS), and hydrogen fuel cells from 2031, he said.

It will also take into account an option for nuclear power plant development in 2045, with a plan to boost capacity by up to 35 gigawatts by 2060, he added.

In addition, it will increase network reliability by building intra- and inter-insular connections and developing smart grids and smart meters, he disclosed.

We will also push for the use of electric vehicles, with the target of stopping the sales of conventional motorcycles by 2040 and conventional cars by 2050 and provide massive public transportation modes, the minister said.

On November 20, 2021, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the energy transition from fossil energy to green energy can no longer be delayed.

He urged state oil and gas company PT Pertamina and state electricity company PT PLN to use their time as efficiently as possible to strengthen the foundation for the energy transition.

FIRST OVERSEAS TRIP DURING PANDEMIC TO TAKE WIDODO TO THREE NATIONS by Fardah

 

Jakarta, Oct 30, 2021 (Antara) A special Garuda Indonesia airplane, GIA-1, departed for Rome, Italy on October 29, 2021 with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his entourage on board, marking the start of his three-nation working visit.

Widodo's trip—which is his first since the pandemic began in 2019 and has come at a time when COVID-19 transmission has begun to slow in many countries, including Indonesia—will take him to Italy for the G20 Summit, Great Britain for COP26, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is an important business partner for Indonesia.

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir, and Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung are accompanying the President on the trip.

G20

Currently, Widodo is in Rome for the Group of Twenty (G20) Leaders' Meeting, scheduled for October 30-31, 2021. He will take over the grouping’s Presidency from Italy at the meeting. 

The G20 members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Spain is a permanent guest.

Indonesia will hold the Presidency of the G20, which represents 85 percent of the global economy and 75 percent of the global trade, from December 1, 2021 to November 30, 2022. The theme for Indonesia's Presidency is “Recover Together, Recover Stronger”.

He has also been invited to deliver a speech on women’s engagement in micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) at the meeting.

INDONESIA TO FOCUS ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY DURING G20 PRESIDENCY by Fardah

 

Jakarta, 22/9/2021(ANTARA) - Indonesia will assume the Presidency of G20 in late 2021 for the first time since the forum was established in 1999. Indonesia was invited to join the forum in 2008.

Italy, the current G20 president, will hand over the presidency to Indonesia at the Rome Summit, which is scheduled on October 30-31, 2021.

Indonesia was elected to the G20 Presidency for 2022 during the G20 Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in November 2020.

It will hold the G20 Presidency, themed Recover Together, Recover Stronger to reflect the spirit of collective recovery, from December 1, 2021 till November 2022.

The Group of 20 or G20 is an international forum that brings together the worlds major economies. Its members account for more than 80 percent of global GDP (gross domestic product), 75 percent of global trade, and 60 percent of the population of the planet.

The G20 members comprise Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Spain is also invited as a permanent guest.

In fact, Indonesia, the worlds fourth most populous nation, is the only ASEAN (Association of the Southeast Asian Nations) state that was invited to join as a G20 member.

To ensure the smooth and successful implementation of the G20 events that will be hosted by Indonesia next year, President Joko Widodo has issued decree No. 12 of 2021 on the National Organizing Committee (OC) of the Indonesian G20 Presidency.

The OC members include Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, as chairman I of Sherpa Track; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno L. P. Marsudi, as chairman II of Sherpa Track; Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, as chairman I of Finance Track; the Governor of Bank Indonesia as chairman II of Finance Track; Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law, and Security, Mahfud MD, as chairman of events; and Minister of Communication and Informatics, Johnny G. Plate, as chairman of communication and media for the G20 Summit.

Indonesia will have seven priority agendas for the finance track for Indonesia's G20 Presidency in 2022, according to Minister Indrawati.

 

 

G20 NATIONS STAND UNITED AND FIRM AGAINST TERRORISM by Fardah

Jakarta, July 13 , 2017(Antara) - Leaders of G20 member countries, including Indonesia, share a common view that terrorism is a global scourge that must be fought and terrorist-safe havens be eliminated in every part of the world.
        Hence, at a gathering in Hamburg, Germany, on July 7-8, 2017, the leaders pledged to forge closer cooperation in undertaking counterterrorism and deradicalization efforts.
       Their commitment was outlined in The Hamburg G20 Leaders' Statement on Countering Terrorism that, among other things, read: "We, the Leaders of the G20, strongly condemn all terrorist attacks worldwide and stand united and firm in the fight against terrorism and its financing. These atrocious acts have strengthened our resolve to cooperate to enhance our security and protect our citizens."
   The leaders, including President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), vowed to facilitate swift and targeted exchanges of information between intelligence, law enforcement, and judicial authorities on operational information-sharing, preventive measures, and criminal justice response while ensuring the necessary balance between security and data protection aspects in accordance with national laws.
        Moreover, they will ensure that counterterrorism steps will continue to be part of a comprehensive approach, including combating radicalization and recruitment, curbing terrorist movements, and countering terrorist propaganda.