Indonesia to Build Bridges Between Asia and Latin America
Wednesday, 20 January 2010 13:43
Indonesia, as coordinator for Asian countries in the Forum for East Asia – Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), is set to play a greater role in Asian and Latin American relations in the coming years.
In a Press Conference held in Tokyo on 17 January 2010 at 12.15. pm local time to mark FEALAC’s Foreign Ministerial Meeting (held on 16 – 17 January 2010 in Tokyo) Indonesian Foreign Minister Mr. Marty Natalegawa stated that in conducting its role as coordinator, Indonesia is ready to build bridges between the Asian and Latin American regions. The Minister also pointed out that Indonesia has been at the forefront of building inter-regional bridges, as has been shown in the 1955 Asia – Africa Conference initiated by Indonesia in Bandung.
Mr. Natalegawa also emphasized that Indonesia is a firm believer in the role of FEALAC as a forum to promote and broaden relations between the two regions, particularly as FEALAC has identified issues of common concern such as financial and economic issues, social inclusion, the environment and sustainable development.
In response to a question from a Japanese journalist about any future assistance Indonesia expected from Japan, Mr. Natalegawa stated that Indonesia and Japan’s relations are mutually beneficial ones and that in addition to long-standing trade and economic relations, cooperation between Japan and Indonesia has evolved in various fields.
Japan has become a key partner for Indonesia in addressing climate change and environmental issues, and has also worked closely with Indonesia in strengthening democratic institutions, as reflected by Japanese Prime Minister Mr. Yukio Hatoyama’s presence as co-chair of the Bali Democracy Forum II on 10 – 11 December 2009. The Minister also added that engagement between Indonesia and Japan would become more interrelated and multi-faceted as Indonesia is now participating in the G-20 forum, which the Minister noted was an acknowledgement by the international community of the importance of an Indonesian role in addressing global issues.
FEALAC was established in 1999 to promote and broaden cooperation between Asia and Latin American countries. FEALAC consists of 16 Asian countries and 18 Latin American countries; the latter are currently coordinated by Argentina.
FEALAC Day, commemorating the 10th year of establishment Forum of East Asia - Latin America Cooperation
Monday, 07 December 2009 14:30
FEALAC Day, commemorating the 10th year of establishment Forum of East Asia - Latin America Cooperation Caraka Loka Building Jakarta, December 9, 2009
PRESS RELEASE
In order to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of Forum of East Asia - Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), the Government of the Republic of Indonesia will organized an event entitled FEALAC Day will on December 9, 2009. This event is a one-day exhibition and bazaar and followed by twenty one diplomatic representation partner countries.
Minister of Foreign Affairs R.M. Marty Natalegawa is scheduled to open the event, which displaying traditional costumes, national food and beverages, and handicrafts of FEALAC partner countries. Exhibition and Bazaar will be officially opened at 10:00 am and is open to the public at 11:00 am to 16:00 pm.
Indonesia as an initiator of this activity is one of the partner of Asia-15 countries (10 ASEAN countries, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand) and 18 Latin America countries (Argentina, Bolivia , Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela). For Indonesia, this forum is a means to explore the potential to increased cooperation between Asian countries and Latin America in political, economic, and social.
FEALAC was founded in 1999 on by the countries of East Asia and Latin America as a counterweight and a complement of existing cooperation, the APEC, ARF and ASEM. This organization consists of 33 member states with a total population of more than 2.3 billion. Indonesia Trade Balance with the FEALAC partner countries in a few years lately has increased significantly, ie by 45% from U.S. $ 116 trillion in 2007 to U.S. $ 168 trillion in 2008.
FEALAC Day is designed and aimed to broaden networking as well as to enhance cooperation between FEALAC partner countries. In addition, it will be designed as a proper channel to disseminate knowledge and awareness regarding FEALAC to general public.
Tapping into the Potential of Cooperation between FEALAC Partner Countries and Riau Province Through FEALAC Outreach Program 2009 Pekanbaru, Riau, 11 June 2009
Thursday, 18 June 2009 16:49
In the efforts to establish sound networking and to utilize potentials of cooperation with FEALAC partner countries, the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in cooperation with the Riau Provincial Government and the University of Riau held FEALAC Outreach Program 2009 in Pekanbaru, Riau, on 11-12 June 2009. More than 180 participants including local government officials, business actors, academicians, and delegations of 9 FEALAC member countries (China, Japan, Korea Selatan, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Chile, and Mexico) participated in the program.
Acting Director General for American and European Affairs conveyed a keynote address regarding the background and purpose of the FEALAC Outreach Program and active roles of Indonesia in FEALAC. As the Asian Co-chair of Working Group I (Politics, Culture, and Education), Indonesia carried out the Outreach Program in order to disseminate FEALAC to the society as well as to bring together local government, business actors, academicians, and representatives of FEALAC partner countries so as to discuss potentials of cooperation in various fields.
The Riau Provincial Secretary, representing the Governor of Riau, expressed the message that the Riau Provincial Government supports the Outreach Program as it serves as a means to promote the potentials of Riau Province among FEALAC partner countries. He then explained that Riau has an average growth rate of above 8% per year in the last few years, and possessed significant amount of tourism potentials.
The Outreach Program invited 3 speakers, namely Arsyad Yuliandi Rachman from the Riau Chamber of Commerce, Bernadus Djonoputro from the Riau Investment and Promotion Board, and Umy Oktyari from the University of Riau. Representatives of FEALAC partner countries also got the chance to deliver presentations regarding the potentials of their respective countries, and viable forms of cooperation to be carried out with the Riau Provincial Government.
In general, the program was successful in increasing the public awareness on FEALAC and on the benefits which can be obtained by local stakeholders as well as FEALAC partner countries. A significant result of the program is the establishment of a closer relationship between FEALAC partner countries with Riau Provincial Government which is in fact useful to trigger the enhancement of cooperation in various fields, namely trade, investment, and tourism. Through this program, the University of Riau obtained benefits in forms of scholarship offers and support from FEALAC partner countries to develop their study centres.
Pekanbaru, 11 June 2009
Director for American-European Intra Regional Cooperation
Press Release FEALAC Outreach Program, Pekanbaru, Riau, 11 Juni 2009
Wednesday, 03 June 2009 09:24
FEALAC OUTREACH PROGRAM
OPTIMALISASI HUBUNGAN PROPINSI RIAU DENGAN NEGARA-NEGARA ANGGOTA FEALAC
Pekanbaru, Riau, 11 Juni 2009
PRESS RELEASE
Hubungan bilateral Indonesia dan Amerika Latin yang menjadi anggota Forum East Asia and Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) dalam beberapa tahun terakhir ini mengalami peningkatan yang cukup signifikan. Namun demikian belum semua propinsi memanfaatkannya guna membina danmeningkatkan hubungan perdagangan, ekonomi, investasi, pendidikan dan pariwisata dengan negara anggota FEALAC, dan masih banyak pelaku usaha dan masyarakat di daerah yang perlu mengenal lebihdekat FEALAC.
Menteri Luar Negeri Indonesia dalam Pertemuan Menteri-Menteri Luar Negeri III FEALAC di Brasilia, Brasil pada tahun 2007 telah menyampaikan keinginan Indonesia untuk melakukan berbagai kegiatan bagi pengenalan FEALAC antara lain melalui Seminar UKM di Bandung, Seminar Counter-Terrorism, di Semarang danjuga telah disetujuinya dalam Sidang Pejabat Tinggi SOM FEALAC ke-9tanggal 4-9 April 2009 di Buenos Aires, Argentina, Indonesia kembali menegaskan komitmennya untuk meningkatkan upaya pengenalanKawasan Amerika Latin kepada masyarakat Indonesia, sekaligus meningkatkan hubungan dengan wilayah tersebut.Di pihak negara-negara Amerika Latin sendiri terdapat keinginan untuk menjalin hubungan yang lebih erat di berbagai bidang denganIndonesia.
FEALAC didirikan pada tahun 2001 atas keinginan negara-negara Asia Timur dan Amerika Latin sebagai penyeimbang dan pelengkap dari kerjasama yang telah ada, yaitu APEC, ARF dan ASEM. Organisasi ini terdiri dari 35 negara anggota dengan total penduduk lebih dari 2.3 milyar, dari Asia 1,9 milyar dan dari Amerika Latin 466 juta. Neraca Perdagangan Indonesia dengan negara-negara anggota FEALAC telah meningkat sebesar 45% dari US$ 116 trilyun (2007) menjadi US$ 168 trilyun (2008). Amerika Latin merupakan pasar potensial bagi produk-produk Indonesia, khususnya produk propinsi Riau dan wilayah sekitarnya. Untuk memaksimalkan potensi tersebut dan peningkatan hubungan kerjasama di berbagai bidang, terutama perdagangan, investasi,dan pariwisata perlu di diadakandiseminasi mengenai potensi wilayah Amerika Latin kepada seluruh komponen masyarakat Riau dan sekitarnya, termasuk kepada pejabat pemerintah, akademisi dan pengusaha, sekaligus diadakan pertemuan head to head Untuk itu, diadakanlah FEALAC OutreachProgram mengenai “Optimalisasi hubungan Propinsi Riau dengan Negara-negara Anggota FEALAC” yang berlangsung di hotel Grand Elite pada tanggal 11 Juni 2009. Selain sebagai sarana diseminasi, forum ini juga memberi kesempatan kepada pelaku usaha, pemda dan akademisi dengan para diplomat FEALAC di Indonesia untuk mengadakan pertemuan head to head dengan para diplomat FEALAC di Indonesia
Pertemuan ini ditujukan untuk membahas peningkatan hubungan bilateral Indonesia-negara-negara FEALAC dalam berbagai bidang. Selain itu, diharapkan dari pertemuan ini akan dapat membantu para pemangku kebijakan politik luar Negeri RI untuk memformulasikan kebijakan luar negeri yang tepat dengan negara-negara anggota FEALAC dalam menjawab tantangan dan peluang ke depan.
Seminar akan dihadiri oleh Pejabat Pemerintah Daerah Riau dan propinsi sekitarnya, pejabat Deplu serta perwakilan Departemen terkait, kalangan akademisi dan perguruan tinggi. Dari pihak anggota FEALAC antara lain akan hadir para diplomat China, Jepang, Korea Selatan, Vietnam, Singapura, Malaysia serta beberapa diplomat negara anggota FEALAC lainnya di Jakarta.
Jakarta, 2 Juni 2009
The 9th FEALAC Senior Official Meeting (SOM), Buenos Aires, 7-8 April 2009
