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Indonesia will host the G20 Summit on November 15 and 16, 2022, in Bali province, which has fanned hopes of an accelerated Hundreds of foreigners departed Bali over the weekend, Hundreds of foreigners departed Bali over the weekend, economic recovery in the province. some with chartered flights organized by their respective some with chartered flights organized by their respective The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a devastating blow to Bali’s tourism-reliant economy, with the province suffering the deepest contraction compared to 33 other provinces in the country. governments, following flight cancelations across the globe amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The Ngurah Rai Immigration office said in a statement that over 200 foreigners, governments, following flight cancelations across the globe amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The Ngurah Rai Immigration office said in a statement that over 200 foreigners, consisting mostly of German nationals, boarded a chartered consisting mostly of German nationals, boarded a chartered German Airlines flight on Saturday headed for Frankfurt, German Airlines flight on Saturday headed for Frankfurt, while over 400 passengers consisting of mostly French while over 400 passengers consisting of mostly French nationals headed to France with Qatar Airways on the same nationals headed to France with Qatar Airways on the same day. In addition, Austrian Airlines also reportedly carried day. In addition, Austrian Airlines also reportedly carried over 200 passengers back to Austria. over 200 passengers back to Austria. Foreign missions in Foreign missions in Indonesia have Indonesia have actively used social actively used social media to assist their media to assist their respective citizens. respective citizens. As fewer flights As fewer flights Overall in 2020, Bali’s economy contracted by 9.31 percent year become available become available on year. The contraction narrowed to 2.47 percent year on year in due to global travel due to global travel 2021. restrictions, their restrictions, their efforts include efforts include assisting those seeking to return home to find available assisting those seeking to return home to find available flights. I Putu Surya Dharma, a spokesperson from the flights. I Putu Surya Dharma, a spokesperson from the regional office for the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, regional office for the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, told Nusa Bali yesterday that between March 1 and 26, told Nusa Bali yesterday that between March 1 and 26, nearly 254,000 foreign tourists have left the island. However, nearly 254,000 foreign tourists have left the island. However, the same period also recorded over 169,000 foreign tourists the same period also recorded over 169,000 foreign tourists arriving in Bali, he added. Travelers from Australia, Russia arriving in Bali, he added. Travelers from Australia, Russia and the United States topped the list of visitors. and the United States topped the list of visitors. Last week, American and Australian citizens in Indonesia were Last week, American and Australian citizens in Indonesia were ordered to leave the country amid the novel coronavirus ordered to leave the country amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, wherein officials also cited evidence of Indonesia’s outbreak, wherein officials also cited evidence of Indonesia’s current medical capacity, among other things, to urge current medical capacity, among other things, to urge immediate action. Some foreigners have decided to extend immediate action. Some foreigners have decided to extend their stay in Indonesia, it seems, as evident by packed their stay in Indonesia, it seems, as evident by packed immigration offices across Bali last week. Indonesia’s immigration offices across Bali last week. Indonesia’s Directorate General of Immigration has swiftly responded to Directorate General of Immigration has swiftly responded to the spike in visa extension requests, and eligible foreigners the spike in visa extension requests, and eligible foreigners unable to return to their home countries due to COVID-19 unable to return to their home countries due to COVID-19 are being given an automatic extension for their stay are being given an automatic extension for their stay permits. (coconuts.com 01/04/2020) permits. (coconuts.com 01/04/2020)

The improvement in Bali’s economy continued in 2022. Based on the records of Statistics Indonesia (BPS)-Bali, the province’s economy managed to grow 1.46 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2022. “We are optimistic that Bali will revive again and the economy will continue to grow,” according to head of the Bank Indonesia (BI) Representative Office in Bali, Trisno Nugroho. He even projected that Bali’s economy will grow by around 5.4 percent to 6.2 percent in 2022. According to Nugroho, one of the factors supporting economic growth in Bali is the recovery of public activities, which is in line with the increasing COVID-19 vaccination coverage. Bali’s booster dose coverage has even crossed 64 percent—the highest level among Indonesian provinces. The province’s recovery is also being supported by the recovery of domestic tourism and the continuation of investment and infrastructure projects, such as the construction of the MengwitaniSingaraja shortcut, the construction of the Bali Cultural Center, and the revitalization of the Besakih Temple area, among others. Several international-scale events, such as the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) and a series of activities of Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, have also had a positive impact on the province’s economy.

No Large-Scale Social Restrictions policy for Bali just Hundreds of Indonesian crew members flying

Hotels in the Nusa Dua area, Badung district, Bali, will benefit the most from the G20 Summit in November since the area will serve yet, provincial government says in from Italy skip quarantine after testing negative for COVID-19 as the venue for the event, and the delegates will also be accommodated there. Further, G20 Summit delegates are also expected to visit a number of tourist attractions in the districts and cities of Bali. Chairperson of the Indonesian Hotel General Manager Association (IHGMA)-Bali Chapter, Yoga Iswara, affirmed that G20 events would help accelerate the economic recovery in Bali. The Bali provincial government says it has yet to consider imposing Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) policy, which requires approval from the central government, to curb the spread of COVID-19 here, claiming that it has already implemented similar steps to an extent. Over 300 Indonesian crew members from the MSC Splendida cruise ship reportedly did not undergo quarantine upon arrival at Ngurah Rai International Airport despite having flown in from Genoa, Italy on Monday night. Officials said all of them tested negative for the novel coronavirus, after rapid tests that were conducted at the airport. “The reopening of Bali to foreign tourists since February 2022 has “As soon as they arrived they were checked by officers from provided an impetus for Bali’s recovery. Meanwhile, the series of G20 events will provide better recovery for Bali,” he noted. the Port Health Authority and followed with rapid tests. The results were negative and [they] didn’t have to be quarantined,” Ida Bagus Ngurah Arda, who heads Bali province’s Manpower Agency, told Kompas yesterday. There were 316 Indonesian crew members in total who boarded a flight with Qatar Airlines from Genoa to Denpasar, via Doha. As reported by Kompas, the crew members had also undergone a health examination while in Genoa, after which they were declared healthy and permitted to return to Indonesia. Italy is one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with over 105,000 confirmed cases and more than 12,000 deaths. Indonesians coming from COVID-19 hot zones, which includes Italy, are subject to health screening by the Port Health Authority upon arrival. Should authorities find that they are exhibiting early symptoms of COVID-19, they will be observed at a government facility for two weeks. On the other hand, those who do not exhibit early symptoms are advised to self-quarantine for the same period. Yesterday, Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy urged Indonesians overseas to stay in the countries in which they are living. The government said there are no plans to arrange their repatriation, but that they will be provided with supplies. Indonesia is currently anticipating mass arrivals of Indonesians abroad, particularly those seeking to leave Malaysia as it enforces its movement control order (MCO), as well as crew members of international cruise ships looking to return home as some cruise lines halt their operations. For the latter, their return will likely be through Ngurah Rai, Muhadjir said, adding that there are about 11,000 Indonesian crew members abroad. As of yesterday afternoon, Bali has recorded 19 positive COVID-19 cases. This includes two deaths of foreign nationals and four recoveries. (coconuts.com 01/04/2020)

Speaking to Kumparan yesterday, regional secretary of Minister’s 2022 target of Bali receiving 1.5 million foreign tourists the Bali administration, Dewa Made Indra, said that the provincial Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahudgovernment is open to implementing PSBB, should risks of din Uno has targeted as many as 1.5 million quality foreign the novel coronavirus on the island continue to escalate and tourists to visit Bali throughout 2022. require a stricter approach. According to Uno, quality tourists are those with high spend“Here in Bali we are already enforcing strict limitations. ing levels and a lengthy visit period to travel in Bali in a bid to Substantially we have preceded this PSBB policy, but support the economy to revive and create jobs in the provformally and according to the [new] government regulation ince.of course we haven’t,” Indra said. “Hence, our steps are to align in the midst of a declining proPSBB is designed to limit mobility within a region,essentially motion budget. We must use the entrepreneurial spirit more,” imposing the same social distancing measures that have he said here on Monday. already been seen in parts of Indonesia affected by the viral disease, though this includes additional measures and Uno noted that his ministry had applied several approaches to stricter enforcement. achieve the target, including by holding several internationalscale events. The policy includes shuttering of all businesses and services except those deemed essential, and also banning app“We will reach this with approaches that become our pro-based motorcycle taxis from picking up passengers, meangrams, such as sports tourism, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, ing they are only allowed to transport goods and deliver Conferences, Exhibitions), international events, and tourist food to customers. villages,” he affirmed. The official implementation requires regional governments to submit relevant data and reports regarding COVID-19 spread in their area to the Health Ministry, among other things, which will assess them and decide on whether or not to grant approval. The process has been criticized for being overly bureaucratic. Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, which has the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, is set to become the country’s first region to officially enforce PSBB. As of this afternoon, the city reports 1,395 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including 133 deaths and 69 recoveries.

Apart from the target of 1.5 million foreign tourists, Uno noted that the ministry was targeting seven million quality domestic tourists to visit Bali in 2022. He affirmed that the G20 Summit in Bali, scheduled in November 2022, is expected to make the delegates stay longer in Bali and positively impact MSME players in the province. The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy will coordinate around 400 MSMEs in 40 hotels during the G20 Summit. “South Bali has begun to show a revival. For West and North Bali, we will initiate several events. Later, there will be a cruise at the end of the year and will dock in North Bali. In addition, Bali, for its part, has so far reported 43 confirmed COVID-19 we will hold an International Conference on Ecotourism next cases, including 19 recoveries and two deaths of foreign month at the West Bali National Park,” he added. nationals. (coconuts.com 07/04/2020)

JAKARTA - Indonesia will temporarily ban all visits and transits by foreign nationals to the country to curb the further spread of the coronavirus. “President (Joko) sees that our current policy needs to be made stricter. We have decided that all visits and transits by foreign nationals to Indonesia will temporarily be banned,” Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters after a virtual ministers’ meeting with President Joko Widodo on Tuesday (March 31). Exceptions to the ban include those with work permits as well as diplomats, Ms Retno added, stressing that proper health protocols will still apply. President Joko said before the ministers’ meeting that Indonesia is stepping up measures to limit mobility among its citizens within the country, but threats of coronavirus spread also come from overseas. Mr Joko pointed out specifically that the epicentres of the pandemic have shifted to the United States and Europe. In Indonesia, Jakarta is the epicentre of the country’s coronavirus crisis, accounting for nearly half of the 1,414 confirmed cases. There are 122 deaths from Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, in Indonesia so far, the highest in South-east Asia. Stay in the know with e-mail alerts. “Practically all nations have put in place limits on the flow of travellers with varying (degree of) strictness depending on the respective situation and condition in each country,” Ms Retno said. Their policies have also impacted Indonesians living overseas, many of whom have recently returned home or are preparing to head home. According to Ms Retno, the two largest groups of homebound Indonesians are Indonesian migrant workers from Malaysia as well as Indonesians working as crews on cruise ships. “The inflow traffic from these two groups has been far larger than normal,” Ms Retno said. “In terms of size, the number of Indonesians living and working in Malaysia exceeds 1 million. And there are

3,300 runners lacing up for Indonesia International Marathon 2022 in Bali this weekend

Indonesia International Marathon (IIM) 2022 is slated to hit the roads of Bali this Sunday with more than 3,000 runners from all over the world ready to compete. In addition to showcasing the country’s ability to host a world class marathon, the event is expected to promote sports tourism on the Island of Gods. “So far [we received] a positive response from elite national and international [athletes who] will participate in [the marathon]. There are [athletes from] eight countries including Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore,” said IIM race director Riena Tambunan. The weekend road running race includes four events, namely the full marathon, half marathon, 10K run, and 5K run.

11,838 Indonesian crews working for 80 cruise ships, as per data gathered so far,” Ms Retno added. She said the government is implementing proper health protocols at airports, seaports, border check points on these returning countrymen. Mr Joko on Monday said Indonesia needs stronger measures to limit mobility after receiving reports that thousands of workers in Jakarta and its surrounding areas have returned to their home towns after losing most or all of their income amid the coronavirus outbreak. There have been concerns of a spread of infections as people from Jakarta, the epicentre of the country’s outbreak, return home. The government is preparing regulations that would make it possible for Jakarta and other coronavirus red zones to be put under an “area quarantine”, a term observers see as equivalent to a lockdown, which would stop flows of people going in and out. (straitstimes.com 01/04/2020) Local authorities in Bali are reporting hundreds of workers having lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 outbreak and its subsequent impacts on the tourism industry, while thousands more have been instructed to stay at home without pay. In Denpasar, as many as 2,975 workers were told to stay at home without pay while another 53 workers were laid off, the city’s spokesman Gede Rai told Kompas, adding that the workers were from 37 different companies. “It’s because there is a lack of guests and hotels are not operating,” Gede Rai said. For the time being, authorities in Denpasar are reportedly planning a social protection strategy for these workers, including through Indonesian government’s pre-employment cards, which was launched last month. The cards, which aim to aid job seekers and unemployed workers, grant them access and funding to various trainings. The numbers are even higher in Badung regency, where some of the island’s most popular hotels and restaurants are located. An official from the regency’s Industry and Manpower Agency told Tribun yesterday that 198 workers have been laid off as of April 4, most of whom were employed in the tourism sector.

Bali plans to hold Nyepi-like observance to curb COVID-19 spread

Bali province’s Majelis Desa Adat, or traditional village council, says there are plans to hold a Nyepi-like observance later this month as part of an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 on the island, with the final decision set to be announced tomorrow. The council’s chief, Ida Panglingsir Agung Putra Sukahet, told Tribun yesterday that nothing has been decided for the time being, as authorities would need to hold a meeting first. “We will decide on April 8. If it’s going to happen we will issue an official circular from the traditional village council,” Agung Putra was quoted as saying. The observance, locally referred to as sipeng, will only mandate that people stay at home for three consecutive days and will not follow the exact same rules as the Balinese Day of Silence, according to reports. Ordinarily, Nyepi encourages self-reflection by prohibiting activities such as lighting a fire, working, and traveling or going out, among others. The planned sipeng, however, would only prohibit people from leaving their homes. While official details have not been announced, news of sipeng quickly made its rounds on social media, showcasing divided opinions among local residents. Prompted by concerns over COVID-19, som e are supportive of the initiative, while others question how people are expected to meet their daily needs should the observance take place. “I agree, but it’s

Thousands of workers in Bali on unpaid leave, hundreds more laid off

“Everywhere [in Indonesia] is pretty much facing the same condition. We don’t know when this will end,” Ida Bagus Oka Dirga, who heads the agency, said. He added that in Badung, more than 6,000 workers from 78 companies have been instructed to stay at home and given between 50 to 70 percent of their minimum salary. “Right now, with the hotels empty, of course workers will burden the operational cost. That’s why they have instructed them to stay home. However, we do hope they won’t be laying off [these workers],” I Made Badra, who heads the Tourism Agency in Badung, told Tribun.

Bali hotels roll out cheap promos or shut to survive coronavirus outbreak

The Bali Hotel Association (BHA), whose members include general managers of over 100 four-star and five-star hotels and resorts in Bali, said that most accommodations and restaurants in Bali have opted to temporarily close for at least one month. “At this time, almost all hotels and restaurants in Bali are closed temporarily for one to two months, as we monitor the most up to date situation,” BHA chairman I Made Ricky Darmika Putra told state news agency Antara yesterday. Ricky also responded to circulating information that many hotels in Bali are up for sale, clarifying that those reports are false. In addition, he explained how hotels that are still open have less than 10 percent occupancy rates, while most restaurants have cut their operational hours short. Meanwhile, some other hotels are still seeking to attract potential customers, and are rolling out cheap promotions on long-term stays. One example is Lv8, a hotel located in Canggu, which offers a one-month stay fee starting from IDR8million (US$481). For perspective, the hotel’s normal daily rate ranges from IDR800K-1 million. (coconuts.com 07/04/2020)

JAKARTA - Indonesia will temporarily ban all visits and transits by foreign nationals to the country to curb the further spread of the coronavirus. “President (Joko) sees that our current policy needs to be made stricter. We have decided that all visits and transits by foreign nationals to Indonesia will temporarily be banned,” Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters after a virtual ministers’ meeting with President Joko Widodo on Tuesday (March 31). Exceptions to the ban include those with work permits as well as diplomats, Ms Retno added, stressing that proper health protocols will still apply. President Joko said before the ministers’ meeting that Indonesia is stepping up measures to limit mobility among its citizens within the country, but threats of coronavirus spread also come from overseas. Mr Joko pointed out specifically that the epicentres of the pandemic have shifted to the United States and Europe. In Indonesia, Jakarta is the epicentre of the country’s coronavirus crisis, accounting for nearly half of the 1,414 confirmed cases. There are 122 deaths from Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, in Indonesia so far, the highest in South-east Asia. Stay in the know with e-mail alerts. “Practically all nations have put in place limits on the flow of travellers with varying (degree of) strictness depending on the respective situation and condition in each country,” Ms Retno said. Their policies have also impacted Indonesians living overseas, many of whom have recently returned home or are preparing to head home. According to Ms Retno, the two largest groups of homebound Indonesians are Indonesian migrant workers from Malaysia as well as Indonesians working as crews on cruise ships. “The inflow traffic from these two groups has been far larger than normal,” Ms Retno said. “In terms of size, the number of Indonesians living and working in Malaysia exceeds 1 million. And there are 11,838 Indonesian crews working for 80 cruise ships, as per data gathered so far,” Ms Retno added. She said the government is implementing proper health protocols at airports, seaports, border check points on these returning countrymen. Mr Joko on Monday said Indonesia needs stronger measures to limit mobility after receiving reports that thousands of workers in Jakarta and its surrounding areas have returned to their home towns after losing most or all of their income amid the coronavirus outbreak. There have been concerns of a spread of infections as people important to inform the general public way ahead of the actual dates. So it doesn’t seem so abrupt.” “So will there be provision of food from the government?” “Those who have plenty of money from monthly salary have it good as they can simply stock up, but what can we do when we depend on daily income. If it were to happen for four days please think it further wisely.” As of yesterday afternoon, Bali confirmed eight additional cases of COVID-19, bringing the island’s total to 43. This includes 19 recoveries and two deaths of foreign nationals. (Coconuts.com 07/04/2020)

from Jakarta, the epicentre of the country’s outbreak, return home. The government is preparing regulations that would make it possible for Jakarta and other coronavirus red zones to be put under an “area quarantine”, a term observers see as equivalent to a lockdown, which would stop flows of people going in and out. Coordinating maritime affairs and investment minister Luhut Pandjaitan said in a video message on Tuesday that the government would take the decision within this week, stressing however Indonesia would use the term lockdown. Indonesia would also issue a presidential emergency decree that would allow the government to have an annual budget deficit of larger than 3 per cent – currently not allowed by the existing laws – so that it could spend more to deploy cash, especially to the poorest population in the country. This exemption would apply for three years, before a normal threshold of 3 per cent would be reinstalled for 2023 annual budget year. “(Finance Minister) Sri Mulyani is currently making her calculation. What if we give the bottom 40 per cent or 20 per cent direct cash handouts. It is being thoroughly calculated,” Mr Luhut said. President Joko said on Monday that over the past eight days alone, 876 buses had transported about 14,000 people in Greater Jakarta back to their home towns, mostly in West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta and East Java provinces. Others had taken the trains and ships home, he added. These are mostly daily-rated workers such as push-cart food sellers, in what is termed the informal sector of the economy. (straitstimes.com 01/04/2020)

Bali’s The Nusa Dua improves safety measures amid pandemic

State-owned enterprise Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) is implementing safety measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19 at tourist destination The Nusa Dua in Bali. I Gusti Ngurah Ardita, managing director of The Nusa Dua, told Antara news agency that a letter had been sent to tenants, urging them to provide hand sanitizers and regularly spray disinfectant in public areas, including toilets, pray rooms, ATM booths and shuttle buses. “This is in accordance with a circular letter from Bali’s provincial administration on improving hygiene and sanitation to combat the virus,” he said. Tenants at The Nusa Dua are also required to check the temperature of all staff and visitors and to routinely clean their sites. A crisis center has been set up for guests, with services that include delivery to the nearest hospital and routine check-ups with health agencies. Ardita added that The Nusa Dua’s employees have been working from home from March 16, except for security and cleaning staff, who have been equipped with protective gear and follow physical distancing measures while on duty. As of March 26, the occupancy rate at The Nusa Dua had dropped 30.45 percent since February. “We hope the pandemic will end soon and tourism in Bali can improve,” said Ardita. On Tuesday, Bali declared a state of emergency by imposing stricter measures on visitors in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 as cases continue to climb with local transmission detected. With the status, the resort island will tighten checks at entrance gates and enforce a 14-day self-quarantine for all people entering the island. (thejakartapost.com 01/04/2020)

Denpasar mayor urges city residents to stay at home amid coronavirus outbreak

The Mayor of Denpasar yesterday urged the city’s residents to refrain from returning to their hometowns and stay at home instead, as part of an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Bali. “I am asking all residents living in Denpasar for the time being do not go anywhere, including to go to your hometown, stay at your respective homes [instead] to break the chain on COVID-19 spread,” , as quoted by state news agency Antara. Many of those who live in Denpasar hail from different parts of the island and even the country. With the social and physical distancing advisory in place and the option to return to their family homes might make sense financially, officials fear it might contribute to further spread of COVID-19. According to Denpasar government’s, there are currently 96 people under monitoring in the city, along with two patients under observation and two more who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Across Bali, the total number of positive COVID-19 cases stand at 10 as of yesterday afternoon, including two deaths of foreign nationals, while a total of 141 patients have been placed under observation, as per data from the provincial government.

Indonesia’s Deputy Minister for Tourism and Creative Economies, Angela Tanoesoedibjo, visited Bali this week for a press tour and to check in on preparations for the G20 Summit in November. The 2-day conference will see heads of state, industry leaders, and their delegations head to Bali to discuss how the trade block can ‘recover together, recover stronger’. Priority areas for the 17th G20 Summit are global health architecture, digital transformation, and sustainable energy transition. The conference is a chance for Bali to be showcased on the world stage, in light of the pandemic it is vital for Indonesia that the conference goes well and demonstrates how the country plays an essential role in the world’s economy. A successful G20 Summit will help increase both business investment in Bali and help increase the strength of the tourism, green energy, tech, and agriculture sectors. The G20 Summit is one of the biggest events ever hosted in Bali and the Indonesian government is taking its presidency of the event seriously. They are invested huge amounts of money in improving infrastructure, including the creation of a VVIP terminal at Ngurah Rai Airport. Minister Angela Tanoesoedibjo visited key venues and met with organizers to discuss the project’s progress to date. She and her team visited the Sofitel in Nusa Dua and the InterContinential Bali Resort which will both play host to heads of state for the duration of their stay in Bali. The InterContinential Bali Resort will also host a special event for the spouses of heads of state. Although Minster Tanoesoedibjo was assessing overall preparations, she has been tasked with personally overseeing the G20 Summit Spousal Events Programme. “Our success in breaking the chain of coronavirus spread requires discipline and cooperation from everyone, not only the government, but also the public in heeding the instructions and suggestions from officials,” Rai Mantra said. Last week, a nurse who tested positive for COVID-19 reportedly went home to Tabanan regency, prompting officials to trace her close contacts immediately.

The G20 Summit Spousal Events Programme will be hosted by President Joko Widodo’s wife Ibu Iriana. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, the UK Prime Minster’s wife Carrie Johnson, and France’s Brigitte Macron amongst others will all attend special events and dinners over the conference week. Minster Tanoesoedibjo also met with local chefs for a food tasting to sample the menus that will be served to world leaders and their delegations at the formal dinners of the conference. She said “We don’t only pay attention to food. We also ensure safety, comfort, and distance to the location for the wives of the heads of state’. Typically the spouses of world leaders participate in events focusing on social issues and usually meet with local school children to learn about their experiences of the world. The full G20 Summit Spousal Events Programme has yet to be released, but it is known that the InterContinential Bali Resort will be a key venue for the spousal delegation. Grand Inna Bali Beach in Sanur will serve as the start and finish points for each category. Despite distance differences, all runners will pass through some of the island’s most popular landmarks and tourist spots. All of the road race tracks have met standards set by World Athletics-AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Race). With the event taking place during one of the best months to visit Bali, friendly weather conditions forecast for this weekend is expected to spur athletes to hit their peak strides. Indonesian Sports Council (KONI) secretary general Ade Lukman said separately that the event was forced into a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The event, he said, is hoped to serve as a stepping stone for Indonesia to be a roster in the World Marathon Majors in the future. IIM will also pay tribute to Eduardo Nabunome, a legendary runner from Indonesia who passed away at the age of 52 in 2020 due to a heart attack. Nabunome ran a marathon in 2 hours, 19 minutes, and 18 seconds at the 1993 National Games in Jakarta. Indonesian runners who can break Nabunome’s record at IIM will be rewarded with an IDR1 billion (US$67,317) prize money, according to Riena. “This is a tribute for [Eduardo]. [And also] a reward for local runners,” Riena added.

President Jokowi arrives in Germany

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo arrived at Munich International Airport, Germany, at 6:40 p.m. local time, on Sunday, after a 13-hour flight from Jakarta aboard a Garuda Indonesia GIA-1 flight. Upon arrival at the airport, President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana were greeted by Minister for European and International Affairs of Bavaria State Melanie Huml, Indonesian Ambassador to Germany Arif Havas Oegroseno and his wife, and Defense Attache of the Indonesian Embassy in Germany

Colonel Budi Wibowo and his wife, according to a press release received early on Monday. Also greeting the President and First Lady were soldiers wearing Bavaria customary attire. Shortly after arriving at the airport, the president and his entourage, including Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, headed straight to the hotel where they will stay while in Germany. Upon arrival at the hotel, the head of state and his entourage were greeted by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, who had arrived earlier to prepare the agenda of the president’s visit in Germany. Jokowi is scheduled to attend the G7 Summit for Partner Countries at the Elmau Palace, Germany, on Monday. Indonesia is invited to the G7 Summit in the capacity of partner country and G20 chair. During a virtual press conference held prior to his departure at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Sunday, Jokowi stated at the G7 Summit that he will encourage member countries to work together to find a solution to the food and energy crises engulfing the world.