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 of building aqual🎶ity, sustainable and 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, including by reducing the use of fossil energy to fuelmobili💝ty to economic cen🀅ters 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).
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
In March, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and said Thailand would commission a feasibility study into hosting a Grand Prix on a Bangkok street circuit from 2028.
The proposed giant sea wall aligns with bilateral cooperation and has been designated a national priority, considering that several regions in Indonesia are experiencing land subsidence of 10–15 centimetres per year.
International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, including gold, copper, and manganese, as well as in the development of steel, aluminum, and renewable energy industries.
The Thai cabinet has approved a seven-year EV bus leasing scheme proposed by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) for the capital, with an estimated cost of 15.35 billion THB (over 470 million USD).
Aircraft are prohibited from flying below 6,000 metres in the vicinity of the volcano, and should also remain alert to the presence of volcanic ash, which can disrupt flights.
Laos declared the transfer of the press management functions of five key media agencies and associated personnel to the Propaganda and Training Board of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee.
Univers said in a statement that the new centre will serve as a hub for innovation, bringing together digital intelligence and climate ambition to accelerate Sarawak's transition toward a low-carbon, tech-enabled economy.
The target is to be completely free from plastic waste within two years. This can only be achieved if all parties implement the initiative with strong discipline.
Indonesia is taking new steps to improve protections for fishery workers, amid concerns over low wages, harsh working conditions, and limited access to social welfare.
The 2025 ASEAN- the Republic of Korea (RoK) Connectivity Forum that opened in Jakarta on June 17 reaffirmed a shared commitment to shaping a connected, resilient future by advancing the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan.
The desk will serve as a service centre providing market intelligence, business licensing guidance, facilitating business cooperation, identifying potential investment projects, and harmonising regulatory policies between the two parties.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim noted that the Asia-Pacific region accounted for half of global energy consumption and 60% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024. Despite this, regional countries, including eight of ten ASEAN member states, remain committed to climate goals, including net-zero emissions and tripling global renewable capacity by 2030.
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) 
