Indonesia Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno delivers his remarks during the UN General Assembly Sustainability Week's high-level thematic event on tourism at the UN Headquarters in New York. (Photo: antaranews.com)
Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia has been working to realise its goal o💜f building aquality, sustainable a🍎nd environmentally friendly tourism industry.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) on April 17, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga SalahuddinUno said the country isimplementing policies to improve people's well-being through participation inthe tourism industry, such as tourism villages andeco-tourism. Accordingto Uno, over the past years, Indonesia has been known as anadventurous as well as nature- and culture-friendly tourism destination amonginternational tourists. Indonesia, the minister said, has become areference in the post-pandemic tourism transformation. Indonesia has alsoaligned itself with regenerative tourism and efforts to reduce carbon emissionsthrough tourism. Among the concrete policies enforced byIndonesia to achieve sustainability are carbon emission offset, planting ofmangrove trees at tourist destinations, reef restoration, and activities toaddress waste, food loss, and food waste issues, Uno informed.
Besides Bali and the five new tourismdestinations, Uno said that Indonesia's new capital, Nusantara, will bedeveloped as a new tourist destination.
The new capital will prioritise sustainable interconnectivityto preserve nature, incl✅uding by reducing the use of fossil energy to fuelmobility to economic cent💦ers in Kalimantan, he added./.
An airport in Madano city, the capital of Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province, has been ordered closed while hundreds of people evacuated and the alert level raised to the highest on April 18 due to large-scale volcanic eruptions of Mount Ruang.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo on April 17 called on the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) and related ministries to remain alert to new methods of money laundering, including those involving the cryptocurrency market.
Global warming has played a key role in gradually thinning the glaciers atop Puncak Jaya, Papua, Indonesia, some of the few remaining tropical glaciers in the world, according to Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG).
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
Indonesia Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno delivers his remarks during the UN General Assembly Sustainability Week's high-level thematic event on tourism at the UN Headquarters in New York. (Photo: antaranews.com) 
