Day: May 28, 2023

Vietnam invested nearly 316.4 million USD abroad in the first five months of this year, equivalent to 93.5% of the figure recorded in the same period last year, according to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Of the total, 142.7 million USD was poured into 47 new projects, or 48.6% of the figure in the same period in 2022 while 173.7 million was added to 16 underway ones, a year-on-year increase of 3.9 times.

Vietnamese investors abroad invested in 13 sectors, especially retail and wholesale, information and communications, finance, banking, agro-forestry-fisheries.

In the January-May period, Vietnamese investments landed in 20 countries and territories, led by Canada with one new and one expanded project worth over 150.2 million USD. It was followed by Singapore, Laos, and Cuba.

The agency said that as of May 20, Vietnam had operated 1,648 valid projects abroad with combined investment of nearly 22.1 billion USD, including 141 by State-owned enterprises worth 11.67 billion USD, accounting for 52.8% of the country’s total.

Vietnamese investment abroad is mostly in mining (31.5%) and agro-forestry-fisheries (15.6%).

Leading destinations for Vietnamese investors are Laos (24.4%), Cambodia (13.3%), and Venezuela (8.3%)./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Palu, Central Sulawesi (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Trade Jerry Sambuagahas encouraged micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Central Sulawesi to continue to create innovation and develop their products in order to increase exports."One of our focus is packaging as the international markets required better quality of packaging," Sambuaga said during a visit to an MSME"Sri Rejeki Fried Onions Store" in Palu City, on Sunday. On the occasion, Sambuaga appealed to MSMEs to focus on the efforts to improve packaging quality to meet the standard required for obtaining LSPro (Product Certification Agency) certificate. He believes that the certificate can motivate MSMEs to bolster their efforts to improve their packaging quality, which, in turn, will help them to promote their products and further expand their sales overseas. The Trade Ministry, he added, is providing business actors with a supporting system program, which involves training and business matching with export as the orientation. "We have an export agency and several other export training facilities in a number of cities. This is part of the government's concrete actions to provide support to MSMEs," Sambuaga affirmed. He also conveyed the ministry's commitment to constantly supporting every MSME in Central Sulawesi. Regarding to marketing, Sambuaga said that the ministry is providing coaching and training courses to MSMEs actors, with a special focus on marketing innovation by making the most of digital technology in accessing the marketplace. Sambuaga noted that the ministry has issued relevant Minister's Regulations that urge all stores to prioritize local products, as part of the efforts to support MSMEs in gaining access to the marketplace. "The point is that we continue to support MSMEs and stand by their side. This matter has become our issue of priority to ensure that MSMEs will continue to progress," he affirmed.

Source: Antara News Agency

Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA) - Bali Governor Wayan Koster has appealed to local residents to not facilitate foreign tourists to commit activities that violate regulations and applicable laws."Bali residents are prohibited from facilitating foreign tourists who wish to commit activities that are inconsistent with their visa permits or the provisions of law," Koster said here Sunday. Residents who are not members of trade agencies or transportation renting associations are not allowed to provide two-wheeled vehicle rent services to foreign tourists, he added. The governor stressed his directives in response to the rampant activities of foreign tourists that are improper in nature, and are inconsistent with their visa permits. Such activities, he said, include not wearing appropriate attire and behaving improperly when visiting holy places, tourist attractions, public places, restaurants, trade centers, roads, and other public spaces. "Furthermore, foreign tourists are also prohibited from working or running businesses without wielding official documents issued by the authority," he noted. He also drew attention to the recent report regarding foreign tourists allegedly using cryptocurrenciesas a means of payment. With this regard, Koster reiterated that rupiah is the only acceptable and lawful means of payment. "Bali residents are obliged to report on foreign tourists' activities that are inappropriate and inconsistent with their visa permits to local police, immigration office, the Public Order Security Agency (Satpol PP), pecalang(Balinesecustomary security guard)and tourism office," Koster remarked. Furthermore, the governor also appealed to tourism business actors to jointly maintain the good reputation and image of the Island of Gods in the efforts to realize a high-quality and dignified culture-based tourism. Koster also noted that the provincial government, along with the Regional Police and Bali's Law and Human Rights Regional Office have been working in synergy to take firm action against tourists who violate rules by deporting them and imposing legal sanctions. On the indication of transaction using cryptocurrencies, Bali Police Head Inspector Gen. Putu Jayan Danu Putra affirmed that the police has investigated the case.

Source: Antara News Agency

Pangkalpinang, Bangka Belitung (ANTARA) - The Provincial Government of Bangka Belitung Islands is focusing on improving the marine and fisheries-based economy in an effort to transform its economy from tin ore mining."We are prioritizing programs to develop marine potential, fisheries and sustainable tourism, bearing in mind that the tin mining sector will definitely run out," Acting Governor of Bangka Belitung Islands Suganda Pandapotan Pasaribu said here on Sunday. He said that based on Regional Regulation Number 3 of 2020 concerning RZWP3K of the Bangka Belitung Islands Province for 2020-2040, the provincial government has issued a maritime policy that is oriented towards exploiting its marine potential for people's welfare. "This regional regulation encourages sustainable fisheries, and not mining, because around 80 percent of the allocated area is used for maritime affairs and fisheries," he said. He said that currently, the provincial government is prioritizing the developmentof marine and fisheries by providing capital assistance to traditional fishermen, fisheries sector business actors, and carrying out strict supervision of marine and fisheries business actors. In addition, the provincial government has also developed adequate infrastructure for fishermen and fishery entrepreneurs, managed and controlled the use of sea space and maintained seawater quality from waste pollution, as well as encouraged exports of fishery products abroad. "We are currently focusing more on economic development based on the processing industry, agro-industry, marine and fisheries, and sustainable tourism," Pasaribu said. He hopes that all levels of society support this maritime policy so that the policy runs well. "Currently the potential for marine, fishery and tourism has not been managed properly to improve the economy of coastal communities in this area," he said. ;!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/clipdata/clipdata_bodytext_230528_145303_014.sdocx--

Source: Antara News Agency

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government has worked quickly to tackle human trafficking crimes that tricked its victims into online scamming,Presidential Staff Office (KSP) expert staff Siti Ruhaini Dzuhayatin said here on Sunday."The release and repatriation of trafficking victims who were forced into online scammingis the result of the government's quick work in dealing with it from the upstream to downstream level," Dzuhayatin said. t the upstream level, the government coordinates with the ministriesagencies and local governments to respond to the cases. While on the downstream side, she said, the government has been encouraging ASEAN member states to carry out concrete cooperation in dealing with human trafficking crimes, especially those led by online fraud. "So the local authorities can become much more responsive in rescuing Indonesian citizens from the location of these online scam companies," she added. ccording to the Foreign Affairs Ministry's report, in early May, at least 25 Indonesian citizens were released from the Myanmar-Thailand border conflict area. The release process was assisted by the Indonesian Embassy in Yangon and the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok. Not long after that release, the Indonesian government and the Philippines authority released 240 trafficking victims at a company complex allegedly operated an online fraud. Of the total victims, 53 were repatriated on May 25-26, while the rest were still undergoing legal processes in the Philippines. "KSP highly lauds the foreign minister and her ranks for strengthening response with ASEAN member states for concrete and friendly cooperation in handling trafficking," Dzuhayatin said. Furthermore, she said President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has pushed for the importance of discussing the eradication of human trafficking crimes at the 42nd ASEAN Summit, Labuan Bajo, on May 9-11. President Jokowi emphasized that key aspects of the Epicentrum of Growth that focus on economic resilience, energy, and health architecture, must not leave out the negative impacts. "Especially on the abuse of digital technology which causes dehumanization and human trafficking which is referred to as modern slavery," Dzuhayatin said.

Source: Antara News Agency

Manado, North Sulawesi (ANTARA) - Agriculture Minister's SeniorAdvisor for Agricultural Products DownstreamingSyarif Burhanuddin expressed hope that domestic farmers could gain knowledge in Steviacultivation from the cooperation with investors."The cooperation is expected to improve people's welfare and economy. However, it should be noted that the most important thing is that such a cooperation would be better if it involves knowledge transfer," Burhanuddin said here on Sunday. The cooperation in Steviacultivation is expected to be expanded to other commodities, he added. The government, he said, is seeking measures to facilitate investors who are keen to invest in Indonesia by formulating proper regulations that would also provide benefits for the local society. "All parties, including farmers, regional governments, security forces, and investors must work in synergy. We will yield nothing without collaboration," Burhanuddin affirmed. Local farmers have worked in cooperation with investor PT GagakPerkasaIndokorto cultivate Stevia--a plant for sweetener and sugar substitute-- in a three-hectare of land in Minahasa District. The commodity will be exported to South Korea. ccording to Burhanuddin, the success in Steviacultivation would encourage other companies to partake in such cooperation. "The principle is to prevent monopoly, as such a practice would lead to injustice and unequal treatment, that in turn would lead to discontent. Hence, we expect investors to transfer their knowledge," he reiterated. In his visit to Minahasa District, the minister's senioradvisor spoke to farmer groups and the investor of Steviacultivation in Tondegesan Village, before proceeding to review the condition of farmers and entrepreneurs of Porang plant in Kayuuwi Village.

Source: Antara News Agency

Sorong, Southwest Papua (ANTARA) - The Southwest Papua administration has allocated Rp40 billion (US$2.6 million) to address extreme poverty in the province."The provincial government has allocated Rp40 billion, and (the budget) will add from each regional budget in each district and city," Acting Governor of Southwest Papua Muhammad Musa'ad said here on Sunday. He said the budget allocation is needed to overcome the high rate of extreme poverty in Southwest Papua. The extreme poverty rate in Southwest Papua was recorded at 9.05 percent in 2021 and dropped to 7.37 percent in 2022. One of the regions that experienced a decrease in extreme poverty, he said, was Sorong District, where the poverty rate was recordedat 14.86 percent in 2021 and 12.09 percent in 2022. While extreme poverty remains high in the Tambrauw and Maybrat Districts, with 22.40 percent or 3,140 extremely poor people, and 22.89 percent or 9,520 people, respectively. "Based on our analysis, it is the dependence among family members that causes extreme poverty," Musa'ad said. He explained that many elderly residents who have no longer had a source of income depend on their children to meet their daily needs. When the youngest generation in the family is married, their parents and even their relatives can live together in one house, he said. In such conditions, where only one person generates an income, he said, it will not be enough to meet the needs of all the family members. Therefore, Musa'ad said, the provincial government is implementing the elderly protection program called Paitua to reduce old people's dependence on their family members. "This is a social protection program. Every person aged 65 years and over gets an allowance of Rp250 thousand (US$16.66) per month," he said. He said that the provincial government is designing integrated and focused programs to address extreme poverty to ensure the community can accept the implementation too. He also asked the local governments to empower residents economically through the programs.

Source: Antara News Agency