"I am delighted to make my first official visit to North Sulawesi today to learn more about the close relationship between North Sulawesi and Australia," Robbins said in a press release issued in Makassar the same day.
She said the meeting was an opportunity to deepen the cooperation that has been established between the province of North Sulawesi and Australia, including economic cooperation in the tourism and agriculture sectors.
According to her, the cooperation also encompasses the handling of clean water and sanitation.
In North Sulawesi, Deputy Governor, Steven Kandouw, Mayor of Manado, Andrei Angouw, Mayor of Bitung, Maurits Mantiri, several business players, and education and community leaders welcomed Consul-General Robbins.
According to her, Australia has a deep friendship with North Sulawesi. The two have cooperated in terms of education, research collaboration, and long-term support for the health security, stability, and economic recovery of the province, she noted.
In this regard, she said she hopes the province can benefit from Australia's vocational education system related to tourism, agriculture, and fisheries in order to recover from COVID-19.
In addition, the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership (IA-CEPA) agreement and catalyst economic cooperation program have paved the way for further economic partnership between Australia and North Sulawesi, she pointed out.
Meanwhile, in the education sector, the Consul-General said her meeting with some education leaders and Australian alumni will reaffirm Australia's commitment to providing international scholarships and short courses in various disciplines to support development.
"We will also be visiting the Australian Government-funded 'C-Surge' program, which helps address the need for sexual and reproductive health services during COVID-19," Robbins said. (
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Translator: Suriani M, Kenzu T
Editor: Suharto
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