Foreign Minister: 2020 APEC Summit Issues APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040, Kuala Lumpur Declaration
President Jokowi attends the 2020 APEC Summit, virtually from the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Friday (20/11). (Photo by: Press Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat/Muchlis Jr)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo attended the 2020 APEC Summit virtually from the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, on Friday (20/11). The Summit that was hosted by Malaysia, discussed cooperation in COVID-19 handling and efforts to restore the economy in the region as well as discussing the post-2020 APEC vision, later called APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040.
In a virtual press conference, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi explained that the Summit produced two documents, namely the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040 and the Kuala Lumpur Declaration.
“The APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040 is a continuation of the Bogor Goals which has reached its 2020 deadline. This new vision will be the foundation for further APEC cooperation for the next 20 years,” Retno said.
The Putrajaya Vision focuses on four things, namely strengthening trade and investment systems; development of innovation and digitalization; ensuring regional resilience through strong and quality growth in the APEC region; and strengthening APEC institutions and establishing 2040 as the limit for achieving APEC’s vision.
“In the preparatory negotiations for the Summit, there were several issues that Indonesia successfully included in the post-2020 APEC vision, among others, encouraging the improvement of the quality of human resources, encouraging connectivity development, encouraging the empowerment of MSMEs and women in the digital economy, mainstreaming Indonesia’s interests in the investment sector, trade access and capacity building as stated in the Bogor Goals of 1994,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the Kuala Lumpur Declaration generally emphasizes the commitment of APEC economic leaders to immediately cooperate in handling the pandemic, recovering the economy, including taking advantage of new economic opportunities, for example the digital economy, and promoting inclusive and innovative sustainable development.
“For Indonesia, this year’s APEC is a very important meeting. Considering that the APEC Summit is held in the midst of a pandemic and a declining world economic growth,” Retno said.
She also added that there were also increasingly sharp rivalries between major countries, which hindered the previous APEC to produce agreements.
For the record, the 2020 APEC Summit was chaired by Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and attended by 21 leaders of APEC countries. The Summit was also attended by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. (FID/UN) (FI/MMB)
