FRUITFUL DISCUSSIONS WITH INDONESIAN AMBASSADOR

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The Indonesian Ambassador, His Excellency Mr Suprapto Martosetomo (third from left) paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Mayor, Alderlady Marie Ferreira (second from right). With them in the photograph are, from left to right, Dr Michele Gratz (Municipal Manager), Mr Joel Rohrohmana (Acting Consul-General and Consul (Economic) (Cape Town) and Mr John Purba (Vice-Consul, Cape Town).

A sister city arrangement with Yogyakarta and Indonesian investment in Mossel Bay were on the agenda when the Mayoral Committee and municipal management met with an Indonesian delegation led by Mr Suprapto Martosetomo, the Indonesian Ambassador in South Africa, last Friday.

Mr Martosetomo, accompanied by Mr Joel Rohrohmana, Economic Consul and Acting Consul General of Indonesia in Cape Town, and Mr John Purba, Vice Consul, paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Mayor, Alderlady Marie Ferreira, prior to Indonesia’s participation in the 2015 Dias Festival this weekend.

Ambassador Martosetomo raised the possibility of Mossel Bay entering into a sister city arrangement with a city in Indonesia, and suggested that such an arrangement is pursued further with Yogyakarta, a coastal city approximately 500 km south-east from the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta. Yogyakarta, alternatively spelt as Jogjakarta, has a history dating back more than a 1 000 years, several universities and is sometimes described as the cultural heart of Indonesia.

Although such an arrangement is likely to focus strongly on tourism, the possibility of investment in other areas of the local economy was also discussed. Mossel Bay’s water security as well as good transport infrastructure was emphasised in these discussions. Ambassador Martosetomo undertook to approach the Yogyakarta city authorities as soon as possible about the twinning arrangement.

The Mossel Bay Municipality has built up good relations with the Indonesian Consul-General in Cape Town over the past three years and this will be the third consecutive year that Indonesian folk dancers and performers will participate in the Dias Festival. Their colourful and rhythmic shows were highlights at previous Dias festivals.

They will this year perform at the Dias Festival cultural concert at the Bartolomeu Dias Museum on 29 January 2015 and again on Saturday, 31 January 2015 on stage at the festival arena in the Santos Caravan Park. They will also take part in the street parade. •

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