25 to 28 October, President Jokowi Will Visit to the US

MoFA Retno L.P. Marsudi met US Secretary of State John Kerry, in Washington DC, US, on Monday (21/9), discussed the planned visit of President Jokowi to the US.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is scheduled to visit the United States on 25 to 28 October 2015, in order to meet the invitation delivered by President Barack Obama. The visit plan announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Retno LP Marsudi and US Secretary of State John F. Kerry, when they met in Washington DC, United States (US), Monday (21/9).

“I wanted to make sure with the US Secretary of State Kerry that President Jokowi’s visit to the US providing benefits for the greater prosperity of the people,” Minister of Foreign Affairs  Retno said, after meeting with the US Secretary of State.

On that occasion, President Jokowi is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with President Obama at the White House on October 26. In addition, on October 26 to 27, 2015, President Jokowi is scheduled to meet with the senior figures of the US Government, members of Congress and US business leaders, in Washington D.C.

Furthermore, President Jokowi also scheduled to visit San Francisco to meet businessmen and university leaders.

Religious Tolerance

Regarding the bilateral talks between President Jokowi with US President Barack Obama, a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday (21/9) said the two leaders will discuss issues of mutual interest and global challenges, including promoting religious tolerance and moderate Islam in facing radicalism and extremism.

“The two leaders will also discuss the opportunities to make Indonesia as an investment destination of the United States,” reads the press release.

As for the meeting with the business community in the US, the Foreign Ministry press release said the meeting will discuss the work plan, which will play an important role in maintaining economic growth in Indonesia.

Other issues to be discussed in the meeting between President Jokowi with the US business community is a matter of security and defense cooperation, maritime strategy, and clean energy.

The visit of President Joko Widodo conducted in line with 5 (five) years the comprehensive partnership between Indonesia and the US, which was launched in 2010. “As the visit of President Joko Widodo to the United States, two Heads of State planned to launch the relationship between Indonesia and the United States more strategic,” Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said.

The US is the fourth largest trading partner for Indonesia, with total trade in 2014 reached 27.7 billion US dollars. In the investment sector, the US is ranked sixth in Indonesia with an investment of 1.3 billion US dollars. While the number of US tourists visiting Indonesia reached 234.117 people in 2014. (KBRI Washington DC/ES)/Sy