Sustainable Business Development Needs Women's Participation: Minister

Redaksi    Wednesday, October 19, 2022    Comment   

Sustainable Business Development Needs Women's Participation: Minister

Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Bintang Puspayoga. (ANTARA/ HO-Kemen PPPA)

Jakarta - Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Bintang Puspayoga encourages sustainable business development with a gender perspective and involves the participation of women.

"There will be no sustainable development without equal participation of women and men," Minister Puspayoga noted in a statement here, Wednesday.

According to Puspayoga, this effort aims to achieve the 5th Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically attaining gender equality and empowering women, especially in the business world.

She said Indonesia has a population of over 270 million people and is the fourth most populous country in the world.

"Almost half of our population is women and about 70 percent of the population is of the working age. Moreover, half of our MSMEs are also owned and run by women," she stated.

Based on this figure, Puspayoga is optimistic that women's empowerment would have a major impact on the nation, especially in achieving the SDGs.

The ministry also encourages the participation of business actors, both individuals and companies, to create businesses with a gender perspective.

"I hope all participants of the B20 Sustainability 4.0 Awards can see through the lens of gender in implementing programs and creating innovations," the minister noted.

The B20 Sustainability 4.0 Awards are bestowed on businesses and individuals, who create innovations in improving inclusive sustainability practices through three pillars.

The three pillars of the sustainable development goals comprise access to clean water (SDGs 6), reduction and reuse of plastics (SDGs 12), and women in sustainability (SDGs 5).

The development of women-run micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), including those producing sharia fashion, will help advance the national economy, Governor of Bank Indonesia (BI) Perry Warjiyo earlier noted.

"Advancing MSMEs will not only help women to support their families but also create future leaders for Indonesia and advance the national economy," he remarked at the opening of the Indonesia International Modest Fashion Festival (IN2MOTIONFEST) here on Thursday.

As many as two-thirds of Indonesia's MSMEs are being managed by women, who are also handling and tending to their children, so they need to be supported to become leaders of the nation, he noted.

Pewarta : Azis Kurmala/Antara

Editor : Yakop

MIND ID Strives To Implement Circular Economy To Reach NZE

Redaksi    Wednesday, October 19, 2022    Comment   

MIND ID Strives To Implement Circular Economy To Reach NZE

MIND ID Strives To Implement Circular Economy To Reach NZE.

Pangkalpinang, Bangka Belitung -  State-run mining industry holding Mining Industry Indonesia (MIND ID) intensifies the application of circular economy in the company’s operation to achieve net zero emissions (NZE).

"The MIND ID Group continues to be committed to promoting the (application of) smart mining in conducting operational activities," president director of the enterprise Hendi Prio Santoso stated at the State-owned Enterprise’s (SOE’s) Commitment on Net Zero Emissions Panel of G20 Side Event SOE International Conference, as quoted from a press release  on Wednesday.

Santoso remarked that the holding company, comprising PT Aneka Tambang Tbk, PT Bukit Asam Tbk, PT Freeport Indonesia, PT Inalum (Persero), and PT Timah Tbk, remained committed to realizing NZE through the application of a circular economy.

"This (circular economy) approach encourages companies to optimize production, reduce risks, minimize (negative) environmental and social impacts, as well as explore more added value throughout the value chain," he remarked.

The members of MIND ID apply eco-friendly technology, with focus on reducing fuel consumption in mining and mining exploration, he stated.

"We are targeting to reduce emissions by one percent in 2022," the president director stated at the G20 side event held in Bali on Tuesday (October 18, 2022).

Santoso emphasized that the commitment shows the company's attempts to reduce emissions from the energy as well as industrial process and product uses (IPPU) sectors by 15.8 percent in 2030 and to support the Indonesian government's vision to realize NZE in 2060.

“The MIND ID Group's circular economic concept comprised three decarbonization (implementation) pillars, namely Avoid, Reduce, and Mitigate,” he remarked.

Santoso remarked that the "Avoid" pillar highlights the MIND ID Group's commitment to providing, investing, and enhancing low-carbon energy solutions across the value chain.

Furthermore, the "Reduce" pillar reiterates the holding’s attempts to limit emissions as much as possible, while the "Mitigate" pillar underscores the MIND ID Group’s efforts to implement offsetting and carbon capture.

The president director remarked that the principle of circular economy is utilizing resources and raw materials as long as possible as well as manufacturing reusable and recyclable end products with minimal by-products.

Oleh : Aprionis, Uyu Liman/Antara

Editor : Yakop

Indonesia's Trade Balance Records Surplus Amid Global Risks: Ministry

Redaksi    Wednesday, October 19, 2022    Comment   

Indonesia's Trade Balance Records Surplus Amid Global Risks: Ministry

Head of the Fiscal Policy Agency (BKF) of the Ministry of Finance Febrio Kacaribu. (ANTARA/AstridFaidlatulHabibah/ak)

Jakarta - Head of the Fiscal Policy Agency (BKF) of the Ministry of Finance Febrio Kacaribu stated that Indonesia's trade balance in September 2022 had recorded a surplus of up to US$4.99 billion amid global risk awareness.

Cumulatively, Indonesia's trade balance surplus from January to September 2022 had reached US$39.87 billion, which was much higher than the peak of the commodity period in 2011 when it amounted to US$22.2 billion.

"This achievement also indicates a surplus that has occurred for 29 consecutive months," Kacaribu stated in Jakarta, Wednesday.

On a quarterly basis, net export performance was also quite good, so it became one of the driving factors for GDP growth in the third quarter of the current year and 2022 as a whole.

The surplus occurred, as Indonesia's exports in September 2022 had a positive performance of US$24.80 billion, or grew by 20.28 percent (yoy), driven by oil and gas and non-oil exports, with growth of 41.8 percent (yoy) and 19.26 percent (yoy) respectively.

Despite monthly slowdown due to declining prices and volume of leading commodities, total exports increased during the January-September 2022 period, reaching US$219.35 billion, or an increase of US$55 billion as compared to US$164.32 billion recorded during the same period in 2021.

Kacaribu said the cumulative increase in exports shows that global demand is still strong in line with better pandemic control, such as from India, Japan, and South Korea.

The increase in Indonesia's exports from January to September 2022 was driven by oil and gas exports that were still growing at 38.56 percent (ytd), while non-oil and gas exports grew at 33.21 percent (ytd).

In the meanwhile, the mining sector recorded the highest growth, reaching 91.98 percent (ytd), followed by the manufacturing sector that grew 22.23 percent (ytd) in line with the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) of Indonesian manufacturing that grew in the expansion zone.

Moreover, Indonesia's imports recorded positive performance reaching US$19.81 billion, with a growth of 22.01 percent (yoy), although it was relatively slow as compared to the previous month.

The growth in imports was supported by the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) of Indonesian manufacturing in September 2022 that continued to expand, oil and gas imports that increased by 83.53 percent (yoy), as well as non-oil and gas imports that grew 14.02 percent (yoy).

From January to September 2022, Indonesia's total imports reached US$179.49 billion and in terms of usage, imports of raw materials and capital goods grew high, 23.21 percent (yoy) and 41.13 percent (yoy) respectively.

With regard to imports of consumer goods, although it decreased on an annual basis by 11.17 percent due to price hikes, cumulatively from January to September, it still grew by 3.52 percent.

"The strengthening of public consumption activities will continue to be maintained through state budget (APBN) instruments by maintaining the people's purchasing power through price stabilization policies, social protection, and others," Kacaribu remarked.

Pewarta : Azis Kurmala/Antara

Editor : Yakop

Indonesia, ICAO Ink MoU On Aviation Training

Redaksi    Wednesday, October 19, 2022    Comment   

Indonesia, ICAO Ink MoU On Aviation Training

Indonesian Transportation Minister ​​​​​​​Budi Karya Sumadi (left) and ICAO president Salvatore Sciacchitano (center) hold a press briefing on the sidelines of the G20 aviation dialogue in Nusa Dua, Badung, Bali, on Tuesday (October 18, 2022). (ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi)

Badung, Bali - The Indonesian government and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to continue training assistance and capacity-building programs in the aviation sector for ICAO member states until 2026.

Indonesian Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi and ICAO president Salvatore Sciacchitano signed the MoU on the sidelines of a G20 aviation dialogue in Nusa Dua, Badung, Bali, on Tuesday.

Sumadi said the agreement is a manifestation of Indonesia's support for the ICAO’s "No Country Left Behind" program, particularly for creating quality human resources in the aviation sector.

Increasing capacity building of human resources is a crucial effort to strengthen aviation safety and security, he said.

"We have a program which ICAO is also carrying out (in the field of human resource capacity building) and according to our records, we are one of the countries which have leading (aviation) campuses, which are reckoned in the world," he added.

Meanwhile, Sciacchitano lauded the Indonesian government's leadership and commitment to increasing aviation safety and security.

"The MoU on training is a very important program for aviation in the future," he said.

ICAO has been running a program called "No Country Left Behind" since 2014 with the aim of mentoring member countries to help them apply the standards and practices recommended by ICAO in the aviation sector, he said.

Currently, 193 countries, including Indonesia, are members of the ICAO.

Indonesia has supported the program "No Country Left Behind" since 2021 through the Developing Countries Training Programme (DCTP), which has been specially designed for human resources in the aviation sector of developing countries.

The training program is entirely funded by Indonesia. The program’s participants, who are from ICAO member countries, receive training on Managing Aviation Training Intelligence (MATI), Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) Verification, and Training Managers Course (TMC).

Oleh : Genta Tenri M, Suharto

Editor : Yakop

Minister Underscores Need For Post-pandemic Aviation Recovery Efforts

Redaksi    Wednesday, October 19, 2022    Comment   

Minister Underscores Need For Post-pandemic Aviation Recovery Efforts

Minister Underscores Need For Post-pandemic Aviation Recovery Efforts.

Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan underscored the need for post-pandemic aviation recovery efforts during a dialogue on aviation in Jakarta on Tuesday.

"I (would like to) push this forum to discuss opportunities and challenges facing the aviation industry with regard to aircraft financing and leasing," he said at the online dialogue on “Financial Measures for Aviation Recovery.”

Aviation is one of the important sectors for boosting the global economy, he noted.

He highlighted four main priorities that must be considered to recover the aviation industry.

The first priority is accelerating the recovery of air connectivity that is safe and efficient for tourism and trade.

The second priority is scripting a recovery that pays attention to a sustainable future and environmental conservation.

The third priority is pushing for cooperation among countries, financial institutions, and the international private sector.

The fourth priority is taking advantage of digitalization and technological innovations.

Meanwhile, president of the International Civil Aviation Organization, Salvatore Sciacchitano, lauded the Indonesian government's commitment to recovering the aviation industry.

"This is what makes me come here. Indonesia's role to raise aviation issue becomes the center of attention during Indonesia's G20 Presidency," Sciacchitano, who attended the dialogue in person in Nusa Dua, Bali, said.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the aviation industry has been very extraordinary, he noted.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 4.5 billion people traveled by plane each year. However, the number fell by 60 percent during the pandemic, he pointed out.

"In other countries, many airlines closed, but the Indonesian government here gives full support and is present to make recovery efforts," he said.

He further welcomed the signing of a more comprehensive air connectivity agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU), which is expected to accelerate aviation recovery in the two regions and in the world.

"In (our) experience in Europe, liberalization in the aviation world will open up opportunities and competition," he remarked.

Oleh : Adimas Raditya FP, Suharto/Antara

Editor : Yakop