American Presence Post Medan

The American Presence Post (APP) Medan jurisdiction covers 10 provinces in the island of Sumatra. As an extension of the US Embassy in Indonesia, APP Medan works to implement in Sumatra the core element of the Comprehensive Partnership between the US and Indonesia. This partnership focuses on:

1. Expanding The U.S.-Indonesia Partnership On Climate Change And Clean Energy
   
   President Obama and Indonesian President Yudhoyono have committed to making combating climate change, including enhanced cooperation on clean energy, a key element of the new U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership. The Presidents emphasized efforts to implement two major international climate and energy agreements conceived last year – the Copenhagen Accord’s call to reduce global emissions by taking concrete and transparent mitigation actions, and the G-20 Leaders’ commitment to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies while promoting renewable energy and improving energy efficiency.
   
   The United States applauds the Government of Indonesia’s leadership on climate change. Indonesia’s progress towards meeting its unilateral goal of reducing emissions 26% below business as usual and up to 41% with assistance -- in a way that is consistent and complementary with a sustainable economic growth strategy -- can be a model and inspiration for sustainable, low-carbon growth across the developing world.
   
   The United States is also encouraged by the new Norway-Indonesia partnership to reduce emissions from forests and peat lands, currently Indonesia’s highest source of emissions. We note the recent progress on formulating Indonesia’s “REDD+” (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) Strategy and establishing coordinating mechanisms through the REDD+ Task Force. We welcome this as a major step forward and intend to fully support these efforts through a practical approach and on the basis of an agreed agenda between our Governments.
2. Economic and Trade Cooperation with Indonesia
   
   Indonesia has emerged as a major regional economic player, and its international profile continues to grow with its participation in the G-20 and other international economic forums. The United States welcomes and strongly encourages Indonesia’s growing leadership role in the global economy and is committed to partnering with Indonesia to expand our trade and investment ties.
   
   The U.S. government works regularly with the Indonesian government to enhance global economic cooperation and reduce market access barriers. Making progress on these issues will benefit both Indonesia and the United States, and will help Indonesia achieve the higher growth it needs to reach its economic development goals. The United States stands ready to further strengthen the U.S.–Indonesia economic partnership and expand commercial relations to boost the prosperity of people in both our countries.
   
   The United States and Indonesia have a fast-growing multibillion dollar trade and investment relationship. Two-way goods and services trade totaled nearly $20 billion in 2009, with Indonesia exporting $13.3 billion to the U.S. market and enjoying a $6.8 billion trade surplus with the United States. Indonesia continues to be a top beneficiary of U.S. trade preferences, with $1.5 billion entering the U.S. market duty free last year under the Generalized System of Preferences program. In terms of foreign direct investment, U.S. companies have invested $16 billion in the Indonesian economy, including in energy, mining, and manufacturing enterprises.
3. Higher Education Partnership With Indonesia
   
   Close cooperation in education is a fundamental element of our Comprehensive Partnership with Indonesia.  In June 2010, President Obama announced the U.S. commitment to invest $165 million in higher education collaboration over five years.  Our partnership in education reflects a true whole of government approach, involving many different agencies, as well as indispensable private sector cooperation.  We will help build Indonesian capacity to provide world-class university education and will significantly increase within five years the number of American and Indonesian students who study in each other’s country.
   
   A key element of our strategic approach will continue to be joint efforts to facilitate self-sustaining partnerships among U.S. and Indonesian institutions, foundations, corporations, universities and individuals.  Already, several initiatives have been launched that reflect this spirit of our educational engagement:
   
   
   • Four of 25 planned university partnerships have already been awarded by USAID: the first with UCLA to strengthen research on marine biodiversity at the Universitas Udayana in Bali, the second with Columbia University and Universitas Indonesia to establish a center on child protection, the third with Texas A&M and three Indonesian universities in a tropical plant curriculum  project, and the fourth with Harvard University’s School of Public Health and several Indonesian institutions to enhance training in public health and applied research.
   • The first 10 American and Indonesian Fulbright students and scholars are studying in each other’s countries this fall under the new Fulbright Indonesia Research, Science and Technology (FIRST) Program, a $15 million commitment over five years to support academic exchange in critical fields that address common challenges, including climate change, food security and public health.
   • The first expanded cohort of 50 young Indonesians are beginning their studies this fall at U.S. community colleges under the new $12.5 million five-year Community College Initiative in fields important to national development such as agriculture, business, engineering, information technology, and health.
   • A doubling, to more than 400, of the number of English Access Microscholarships to be awarded this year for after-school English classes for disadvantaged 14-18 year-olds, so that more young people may aspire to educational exchange with the United States.
   • The first cohort of 17 Americans studied Indonesian in intensive summer institutes in Malang this summer, strengthening their language skills while deepening their understanding and respect for Indonesian society and culture.
     
     As part of the Comprehensive Partnership, our two countries established an Education Working Group that consults with interested parties in both countries to promote educational exchanges and collaboration.
     
     Looking forward, in early 2011 the U.S. Department of Commerce will bring the largest-ever U.S. government-led delegation of U.S. universities to Indonesia in April 2011.  The visit will allow Indonesian students to hear from 60 universities about why they should consider study in the United States and will allow these 60 institutions to establish greater collaboration with Indonesian institutions in scientific research, faculty and student exchanges, and other projects that will be mutually beneficial.
     
     Also in 2011, the U.S. Secretary of Education has invited his Indonesian counterpart to travel to the United States for a U.S. - Indonesia Higher Education Summit to advance our cooperation in education and engage the private sector.
     
     The success of the education initiatives depends upon close collaboration and leadership within the private sector.  We welcome private sector initiatives such as the formation of the U.S. - Indonesia Joint Council for Higher Education and the engagement of the U.S. - Indonesia Society (USINDO), the East-West Center, the Institute of International Education, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the American Association of Community Colleges, and many others.
     
     
4. Expanding U.S.-Indonesia Collaboration On Science & Technology
   
   President Obama and Indonesian President Yudhoyono have made strengthening science and technology collaboration a central part of the U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership, and recently announced several new initiatives while highlighting ongoing flagship programs.
   
   A Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement was signed, providing a legal framework for expanded bilateral cooperation and collaboration on a broad range of issues, including science-based decision making, health sciences, energy, marine research, and the environment. Once it enters into force, the Agreement will allow for the creation of a Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation, which will review joint research projects, matters of importance in the fields of science and technology research, and policies related to the overall scientific and technological research relationship.
   
   In support of the President’s vision of an enhanced science and technology partnership, many U.S. agencies are working with their Indonesian counterparts on a range of innovative programs and projects. The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is finalizing negotiations on a Statement of Intent addressing future cooperation with Indonesia in a number of potential areas, including capacity building and education, earth science applications for societal benefits, scientific data exchange, space weather monitoring and research, and measuring and monitoring emissions and the impacts of climate change. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Jakarta Provincial Government, launched Breathe Easy, Jakarta, engaging key partners including the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) in a program designed to assess and reduce key sources of urban air pollution in Jakarta; EPA and USTDA combined funding of $741,000 will support the five year program.
   
   With $20 million in support from USAID, we continue to develop invigorated University Partnerships using joint research in science and technology-based fields such as health, biodiversity conservation, energy, climate and agriculture with a focus on training, education and capacity building to enhance Indonesian innovation.
   
   The United States will continue to support exchanges between emerging young professionals and leading local government officials in the field of climate change with a view to increasing public awareness of climate change issues and creating more sustainable communities. The United States also plans to build linkages between the Indonesian and United States’ Academies of Science, and to help Indonesia build and bolster its culture of science, the United States and Indonesia intend to work together through USAID's robust program efforts to improve education to create model schools that use science-based teaching pedagogies and enhance opportunities for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education.
5. U.S. Disaster Preparedness Assistance
   
   USAID also assists with disaster preparedness, including through the Climate Adaptation and Disaster Resilience program, a community-based initiative implemented by non-governmental organizations in vulnerable regions to increase community resilience to disasters, support joint efforts with local government, and increase awareness of disaster risks. The U.S. Department of Defense has also assisted with disaster preparedness efforts in Indonesia.

Support for Disaster Risk Reduction

USAID is supporting disaster risk reduction activities in Indonesia to help communities and the GOI to better prepare for and respond to volcanoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, and other hazards. In the past two years alone USAID has funded approximately $5 million for disaster risk reduction, with additional funding anticipated this year and in the future. USAID is partnering with the GOI and other donors to mitigate the effects of disasters by strengthening infrastructure, improving zoning to avoid construction in disaster prone areas, increasing public awareness, and improving construction practices. USAID is also encouraging local governments to institutionalize disaster risk reduction in local law and practice. In addition, USAID plans to significantly increase funding and staffing for the Volcano Disaster Assistance Project.