All eyes will be on Bali as Indonesia prepares to host the G20 summit, welcoming dozens of world and business leaders to the massive event.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said on Thursday that 17 out of the G20’s 20 leaders had confirmed their participation to the summit in Bali, Indonesia, on November 15 and 16.
Indonesia is the first country in Southeast Asia and the only G20 member state to host the annual summit of the organization.
Over the last year, Indonesia has made great strides toward establishing itself as a global powerhouse among its G20 peers.
Analysts believe that the success of the summit will help secure President Joko Widodo’s legacy before the end of his 10-year tenure in 2024.
To attract foreign investment, the government has made a concerted effort to improve its image. The foreign ministry has stated that on November 15 and 16 the 17 heads of state participating in the conference, including Presidents Joe Biden of the United States and Xi Jinping of China, would assemble at a complex of luxury resorts in Nusa Dua in Bali.
Sergei Lavrov (the foreign minister) will lead the Russian delegation at the G20, as was previously reported.
Luhut Pandjaitan, director of the G20 Event Organizing Division and Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, reiterated that President Putin will participate in the summit virtually, even if the details of his schedule are still being ironed out.
Also scheduled is the virtual presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who vowed to boycott the summit if Putin attended.
President Joe Biden of the United States, who has previously referred to Putin as a “war criminal,” has said that he had no intention of meeting with Mr. Putin at the summit.
The final G20 Summit guest list has not been announced
Indonesia has invited many non-G20 countries, such as Singapore, Cambodia, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates, to attend the summit as observers. G20 members include China, the United States, Japan, and the European Union.
Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest man, and Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, will also be present at the G20’s business meeting B20 next week, along with 96 speakers from 30 countries, such as CEO of Alibaba Daniel Zhang, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, and Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee.
Expect High Security at G20 Summit Bali
The island’s security has been stepped up this week as preparations continue. Denpasar, the province’s capital, has a large number of security guards and even military soldiers stationed at important intersections on Wednesday, presumably to keep the traffic flowing safely.
Around Nusa Dua, police were conducting their regular security drill when a chopper hovered above. Luhut said on Monday that more than 2,300 CCTV cameras, some of which have facial recognition technology, would be used by Indonesian police to prevent undesired occurrences from occurring during the G20 summit.
High-ranking Indonesian Army officer, Muhammad Andika Perkasa, said on Monday that more than 18,000 security personnel will be deployed, including 14,300 members of the armed forces and the remainder being police officers. He also confirmed that there would be fourteen military vessels in the area.
On November 15, the first day of the G20 summit, world leaders from all over the world will meet in Bali to talk about a wide range of issues for the next two days.
President Joko Widodo was in Bali earlier on Wednesday to officially open a “VVIP” facility at Bali’s airport as well as three new ports in Sanur and the offshore island of Nusa Penida, which would all be used for the G20 summit.
42,000 passengers are anticipated to pass through Bali’s airport during the two-day summit, and the immigration office has pledged to deport any foreigners who disrupt the event.
Acting Immigration Director General Widodo Ekatjhajana made this point clear after the arrest of a Japanese citizen who was holding a protest on Jalan Yos Sudarso in Banyuwangi on November 7, 2022.
Two other foreign nationals from China were also arrested on Friday November 11th 2022 for allegedly planning a demonstration against the G20 Summit.
The level of activity in the area around Nusa Dua will be drastically lowered.
The government of Bali has basically urged some of the island’s 4.2 million citizens, especially those who live in close proximity to the site, to refrain from going about their normal business next week so that the event can go on as planned.
According to a circular sent by authorities on October 25th, students and employees in three areas surrounding Nusa Dua have been instructed to stay home and do schoolwork and work from home.
As a result, the authorities of Badung and Denpasar will install 1,834 WiFi hotspots so that students and employees there may more easily use the internet and get their work done online.
Residents of Bali have also been asked to cut back on religious ceremonies so that the G20 Presidency meeting goes smoothly and helps Indonesia’s reputation, especially Bali’s.
Many motorcycle taxi drivers, including Gojek and Grab, will refrain from riding on highways around Nusa Dua during the G20 summit meeting.
Since transportation problems are expected to last all week, the Bali government has also put in place a strict “odd-even” rule on the ten roads that lead to the G20 summit site. Similar to Jakarta’s rule, vehicles with license plates that end in an odd number can’t be driven on even-numbered days.
Because of the “odd-even” traffic rules, several businesses and workers in South Denpasar, one of the areas where G20 summit rules apply, are concerned they will lose business if forced to stay home. They’re hoping to remain open during the G20 summit in Bali so that they may capitalize on the increased foot traffic and customer spending that is expected.
The majority of Bali’s residents are “proud” that the “world-class event” will be hosted on the island, and they intend to comply with the rules on driving in Denpasar’s southern neighborhoods.
In addition, the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association in Bali reports that roughly 30,000 hospitality employees would be deployed to service G20 attendees in 24 designated hotels around Nusa Dua.
Over 12,500 individuals are expected to attend the G20 summit, including media.
Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta is eager to show off its plans to become a center for the production of electric vehicles in the area.
All transportation of summit participants, including delegates, media, and security officers, must be conducted using electric cars. More than 1,400 electric vehicles (EVs) will be sent to Bali. This includes 962 automobiles, 454 motorbikes, and 36 buses.
For the convenience of attendees, the state-owned utility, Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) has installed 91 public charging stations for EVs around the island, with the vast majority located in the Nusa Dua complex, and 200 home-charging units.
Authorities have asked kite enthusiasts to temporarily stop swarming their kites across the island because a falling kite could get hooked on an electrical pole and disrupt the network, despite the fact that kite-flying is more popular during the summer’s south-west monsoon, which runs from June to August.
The Bali Current will be attending the G20 summit, so keep checking back for photos and updates.