President Jokowi: ASEAN-Australia Cooperation Pivotal for Peace, Prosperity in Region
President Jokowi on Wednesday (03/06) attends the plenary session of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit at the MCEC, Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/Laily Rachev)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Wednesday (03/06) attended the plenary session of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center (MCEC), Melbourne, Australia.
“As the oldest dialogue partner, strategic comprehensive partner, and liaison partner with the Pacific Region, ASEAN and Australia share common goals and responsibilities for stability, peace and prosperity in our region,” the President said.
President Jokowi stated that ASEAN is forecast to become a global economic power in the world, with a population of more than 650 million people, most of whom are young workers with technological literacy.
On that occasion, President Jokowi invited Australia to strengthen economic cooperation and economic integration through Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy 2040 to accelerate Australian investment in Southeast Asia.
“We also need to accelerate several cooperation, including the RCEP ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA and AOIP (ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific). I applaud PM Albanese’s presence at last year’s AOIP in Jakarta and I hope that Australia’s commitment to AIPF worth US$28.1 billion can be realized soon,” the President said.
The President further said that Australia’s investment in ASEAN is pivotal in dealing with climate change and the digital economy, as well as innovative financing, and technology transfer in terms of the ASEAN EV ecosystem.
The President also applauded the negotiation on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement last year, and expressed hope that Australia will provide support through knowledge transfer as well as strong public and private partnerships.
President Jokowi further said that ASEAN and Australia share the same future and must be the driving force to create a stable, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. (BPMI SETPRES/AIT) (BPMI SETPRES/UN) (RI/MMB)
