State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir has confirmed that 2021 State Equity Participation (PMN) funds worth Rp470 billion provided to state-owned Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) will be used for preparations for the 2023 ASEAN Summit expected to be held in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province.

“The provision will also be used for preparations for holding the 2023 ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo,” the minister said at a hearing with the Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) here on Wednesday.

Furthermore, he informed of the decision to move the venue for holding the G20 Summit to Bali. Previously the government had hoped to hold both G20 and ASEAN Summits in Labuan Bajo.

Hence, PMN, worth Rp1.2 trillion, had been allocated to state-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) for the renovation of Benoa Port, Bali Province — which is operated by PT Pelindo III — to boost the Bali Maritime Tourism Program, the minister noted.

“Later, cruise ships can dock directly at Benoa Harbor in Bali,” he noted.

Earlier, Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate had noted that the 2022 G20 Leaders’ Summit would be organized in Bali, and the exact location for which will be determined later.

Indonesia was elected to assume the 2022 G20 Presidency according to a decision at the G20 Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on November 21-22, 2020.

The transfer of G20 Presidency from Italy to Indonesia will take place at the G20 Summit in Rome, Italy, on October 30-31, 2021.

Indonesia will officially take over the G20 presidency from December 1, 2021, to November 30, 2022.

The 2022 G20 Summit in Indonesia will be conducted through two methods of virtual and face-to-face meetings on account of the domestic conditions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: Antara News