Press Statement of the President of the Republic of Indonesia prior to the Departure to Belgium, at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, 13 December 2022

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Today, I will embark for Brussels, Belgium, with the First Lady and a limited delegation to attend the ASEAN-EU [European Union] Summit commemorating the 45th anniversary of relation between ASEAN and EU.

We acknowledge that the trade value between ASEAN and EU in 2021 reached USD268.9 billion, confirming its position as the top three after China and the USA.

Furthermore, the foreign direct investment of the EU to ASEAN amounting to USD26 billion in 2021 is also the second largest foreign direct investment after the People’s Republic of China. This is why we have to strengthen and improve the good relation between ASEAN and EU.

Certainly, our country Indonesia wants to increase the trade between Indonesia and EU, and investment from EU to Indonesia continue to increase.

The delegation and I will be in Belgium less than 24 hours, after that, we will head back to Indonesia.

I conclude my remarks.

Thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(AW/LW)