President Jokowi: ASEAN’s Unity is Key to Peace, Growth
Group photo session of ASEAN leaders at Meruorah Hotel in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara province, Wednesday (05/10). (Photo by: ASEAN2023 Host Photographer)
Unity is key to promoting peace and growth amidst the currently recovering global economy, the intensifying rivalry, and increasingly unpredictable global dynamics, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has said.
The President made the statement during the inauguration of the 42nd ASEAN Summit at Meruorah Hotel in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara province on Wednesday (05/10).
“The questions are, is ASEAN going to be a mere bystander, is ASEAN going to do nothing, and is ASEAN capable of being a driver of peace and growth? I am certain that we all believe that ASEAN is capable. The key is unity. With unity, ASEAN will be able to be the central force in bringing peace and growth,” he said.
The President underscored that ASEAN has strong assets as the epicentrum of growth, namely an economy that grows far above the global average, demographic bonus, and maintained regional stability.
However, the President also stated that ASEAN must be able to strengthen inclusive economic cooperation and reinforce the architecture of health, food, energy, and financial stability.
“Moving forward, ASEAN must continue to strengthen economic integration and inclusive cooperation, including the RCEP [Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnerships] implementation, as well as to reinforce the architecture of health, food, energy, and financial stability,” he said.
Closing his statement, President Jokowi appealed to ASEAN leaders to join hands to make ASEAN relevant and important as well as to make it an epicentrum of growth.
“Let us work hard to make ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth,” he remarked. (TGH/UN) (DH/MUR)
