•    HOME   
•    NEWS   
•    BUSINESS   
•    INTERNATIONAL   
•    TECH   
•    SPORTS   
•    LIFE & TIMES   
•    OPINION   
•    MY JAKARTA   
•    BLOGS   

Kiyotaka Akasaka, the United Nations under secretary general for communications and public information, was in Indonesia recently to discuss the country’s contributions to peacekeeping efforts and progress toward the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.

He spoke with the Jakarta Globe’s Dessy Sagita on these issues as well as on Indonesia’s ambitious emissions reduction target, its role within ASEAN and the evolution of social media.

Indonesia has one of the highest numbers of troops in UN peacekeeping missions, but how significant is the nation’s contribution?

Indonesia ranks 17th as of March 2010 for the number of troops and police officers it contributes, and is first among Asian countries. It has deployed 1,700 personnel to Congo, Liberia, both missions in Sudan and Darfur, Lebanon and Nepal, and is making a real contribution in conflict-ridden countries. The UN appreciates Indonesia’s contribution.

Given Indonesia’s rising global profile, how do you see its role changing within Asean? Should it become more involved in issues like Burma?

I think Indonesia has been doing a lot. It’s an important member of Asean and of the UN, and was recently a member of the Security Council, and within that context it’s been making a contribution to political situations within individual Asean member states. I’m sure Indonesia will maintain its leadership.

Indonesia has pledged to reduce carbon emissions by 26 percent by 2020, and a few days ago the president announced a two-year moratorium on forest concessions. Do you think Indonesia is leading the way on the climate change issue? The 26 percent emissions reduction target is quite good, but we still need a legally binding international agreement. I hope the Indonesian government and president will maintain their leadership in supporting the negotiations following last year’s [United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] talks in Copenhagen. It won’t be easy but we’ll get there.

How do you view Indonesia’s development over the past decade, particularly in terms of issues such as access to health care, education, gender disparity and poverty reduction?

Indonesia has made enormous progress in various areas under the Millennium Development Goals. You’ve reduced poverty and the economic growth has been very impressive. I believe Indonesia has already succeeded in halving the number of people living under $1 a day as targeted under the MDGs. In the education sector the progress has also been impressive. You’re making primary education universal, and gender equality at schools has improved. Other challenges remain, such as maternal mortality, clean water and sanitation and HIV/AIDS. I hope Indonesia will be able to achieve all of the MDGs.

What is the biggest challenge for Indonesia in terms of the MDGs?

I think the priority has been discussed between a UN team and the Indonesian government. The development policy framework has been agreed upon until 2015 so the priorities are to be set by the government in collaboration with all partners, including the UN. All the MDGs can be achieved in Indonesia if further efforts are solid, and I’m confident those efforts will be made and hope that Indonesia will be able to achieve all eight MDGs. Poverty reduction, education, empowerment of women, infant mortality, maternal mortality, public health, reducing disease sustainability of empowerment — these can all be addressed.

How do you see the evolution of public information over the past three years, particularly with the advent of social media such as Twitter?

I think this development of new technology and social media is in principle a very good thing, because people can get information more quickly, and it’s more accessible to everyone. So it’s a good thing and we don’t support any call to suppress it. Rather, the UN has been using a whole range of new technology and social media. If you look at our Web site, we’ve been developing new multimedia and social media. We use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the whole range of social media. But it’s currently developing so fast it’s getting more and more difficult to provide accurate, impartial, professional and comprehensive news to everyone.

Some countries remain skeptical about social media and even block certain content, such as the ‘Draw Mohammed Day’ page on Facebook. What do you make of this?

I understand that this new development must be accompanied by a responsible attitude on the part of those who use it. We too are very much disturbed by the irresponsible acts of some people who use our name without our permission. We’ve fallen victim to this small group of people, but I don’t think that should be a good reason to completely stop the flow of information by way of Facebook or other social media. Some countries do that, but then that stops the flow of information, the flow of freedom of thought and idea, so I don’t think it’s a good policy. People have the right to information, to send or receive, and of course we need to ensure both the right and the responsibility, but I don’t think irresponsible acts by some justify the act of a total ban on this right.

What do you think about Indonesia’s Electronic Information and Transaction Law [ITE], which allows people to be prosecuted over Internet postings?

I don’t want to comment on any individual case in any country. Every country has laws concerning libel or defamation that can be brought before a court. I don’t know anything about the Indonesian case, so I’ll refrain from addressing it.