G20 Members, Invited Countries Confirm Attendance at DWG Meet

PANGKALPINANG, KOMPAS.com - Some G20 members and invited countries have confirmed to attend the 2022 G20 Development Working Group (DWG) Meeting from Sept. 7-9, a top official said.

National Development Planning Minister Suharso Monoarfa said the countries included Japan, Turkey, the United States, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Brazil, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa.

“Hence, it must be a common priority to continue to optimize preparations for the G20 [event], considering their enthusiasm to attend it in Belitung,” State News Antara quoted Suharso on Friday, Aug. 12.

The DWG is one of the working groups of Indonesia’s G20 Presidency that aims to discuss developmental issues in the least developed countries, developing countries, and small developing island countries.

Meanwhile, some countries that have yet confirmed their attendance due to flight issues are China, Argentina, France, Germany, and Spain.

The minister confirmed to have received no request for a direct flight from Singapore. However, there is a request for a special aircraft flight from the country.

Also read: Indonesia’s Jokowi to Meet Xi on Rare China Trip Before G20

To ensure the smooth running of the event, all relevant parties continue to strengthen the readiness of the airport, flights, venues, accommodation, and transportation for the delegates, health facilities, public infrastructure, tourism destinations, and the people.

“I urge each of the related parties to provide an update on the progress regarding the readiness of the airlines and airports,” he stated.

Still, on the same occasion, the minister’s special staff, Ervan Maksum, said that several domestic airlines, such as Batik, Lion, Sriwijaya, NAM, Citilink, and Garuda Indonesia, had expressed their readiness to support the event.

Eight flights will be provided from the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang near Jakarta to the H.A.S. Hanandjoeddin International Airport in Tanjung Pandan, Bangka Belitung, he said.

The minister said an estimated 908 seats, out of which 174 are of business class, should be prepared to meet the demand on the flights from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to H.A.S. Hanandjoeddin International Airport ahead of the event on September 5-7.

“Meanwhile, it is projected that the return trip flow will start from September 8-11,” he added.

Source: State News Antara