By: Devi Putri Anjani )*
This year, Indonesia is again entrusted with holding ASEAN Chair. After the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits in Cambodia, the handover of the ASEAN Chairmanship from Cambodia to Indonesia was carried out at the ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh in November 2022. The period for Indonesia’s Chair in ASEAN itself began on 1 January 2023 and will last for a year until December 31, 2023.
Carrying the theme ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth, Indonesia together with other ASEAN member countries will ensure that ASEAN remains and is increasingly relevant to the world. ASEAN continues to be a center of growth with strong and empowered people. The ASEAN Summit is a high-level conference held by 10 members from countries throughout Southeast Asia. The ASEAN Summit contains the heads of state or government of each ASEAN country which is the highest policy formulating body. In accordance with the agreement, the ASEAN Summit or ASEAN Summit will be held twice a year.
There are at least two main agenda items from the 42nd ASEAN Summit 2023 or ASEAN Summit 2023 which will be held in Indonesia. “ASEAN Summit 2023 will take place twice. The first will be held on 9-11 May 2023 in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, for ASEAN member countries. For this reason, the government will be committed to preparing for the 2023 ASEAN Summit as a venue for proof for nations in demonstrating the existence of the Southeast Asian region as an area that is the center of regional and world economic growth. Then, the second will be in September 2023 in Jakarta with dialogue partner countries, for example ASEAN+3 consisting of China, Japan and South Korea. Then there is also ASEAN plus CER (Closer Economic Relations), which consists of Australia and New Zealand.
One of the keys to the success of international forum meetings is optimal support from digital infrastructure and public communications. Therefore, the Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) has prepared this to make the 2023 ASEAN Summit series a success.
Head of the Telecommunications Monitoring Center Team for the Control Directorate General of Post and Information Administration (PPI) of the Ministry of Communications and Informatics, Indra Apriadi said, digital telecommunications infrastructure support has now built a 3,773 km fiber-optic cable network and a spread of 2,055 Optical Distribution Points (ODP). Meanwhile, residential areas already cover around 94.51 percent, and at several points there is 5G signal coverage.
Kominfo through the Telecommunications Monitoring Center also monitored infrastructure and the quality of telecommunications services during the Summit. Telecommunications Operators, in particular the Telkom Group, are also continuing to make preparations for the 2023 ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo. Telkom Group is providing Combat BTS and upgrading a number of existing BTS in the Golomari and Labuan Bajo areas. As for the 2023 ASEAN Summit, Kominfo holds three roles, namely providing communication infrastructure, conducting public communications, and conveying substance regarding digitalization and the digital economy.
In addition, Director General of Information and Public Communication of Kominfo Usman Kansong said, during the ASEAN chairmanship, Kominfo will provide support in the form of managing the official website of Indonesia’s chairmanship in the 42nd ASEAN, namely asean2023.id. In addition, media registration management is carried out online. Kominfo will also provide public communication support in the form of exposure in various media, both print and electronic, online media, social media, face-to-face media and outdoor media.
In addition to digital infrastructure, PT PLN (Persero) East Nusa Tenggara Main Unit has also provided 100 Public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (SPKLU) to support the implementation of the 2023 ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, Flores Island. PLN provides 100 units of SPKLU to serve 275 units of electric cars that transport delegates and cars for security and operational vehicles as well as 105 units of motorcycles for patrols and escorts.
The SPKLU infrastructure prepared includes ultra fast charging SPKLU and slow charging SPKLU. Specifically for SPKLU ultra fast charging, 7 units are provided imported from units outside NTT such as from Bali, East Java and Central Java.
It is known that the ASEAN Summit also encourages green infrastructure development, accelerates the implementation of sustainable development goals (SDGs), increases energy security to support sustainable economic growth so that ASEAN can become the center of world economic growth.
For this reason, various infrastructure preparations ahead of the 2023 ASEAN Summit are of course a concern for the successful running of this international event. Thus, full support from various groups of people is needed in helping to prepare and succeed in holding the 2023 ASEAN Summit. The West Manggarai Regent, Edistasius Endi, previously also invited the public to support all preparations for the ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo.
)* The author is a Media Ambassador Contributor
