Indonesia Endorses PNG’s ASEAN Membership at 46th Summit
President Prabowo Subianto Monday (05/26) attends the 46th ASEAN Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat)
President Prabowo Subianto has expressed Indonesia’s support for Papua New Guinea’s ASEAN membership bid, reinforcing its focus on strengthening regional ties.
“The President proposed and supported efforts for Papua New Guinea to become a member of ASEAN,” Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said in a written statement after joining the President at the 46th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia on Monday (05/26).
For the record, ASEAN comprises 10 member countries, including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
East Timor holds an observer status and is scheduled to officially become ASEAN’s 11th member in October 2025.
President Prabowo Subianto, Teddy added, also underscored the importance of strengthening solidarity, maintaining regional stability, and enhancing ASEAN’s influence on the international map.
“With a combined population of ASEAN members estimated to reach around 700 million by 2025, or almost on par with the population of the European continent, ASEAN is a force to be reckoned with globally,” he added.
For this reason, Teddy added, President Prabowo Subianto has expressed belief that PNG’s addition to ASEAN will positively impact the network of cooperation and strengthen regional resilience.
Geographically, Papua New Guinea is a neighboring country bordering Indonesia’s eastern region.
“Not only will the regional stability in ASEAN be maintained, but the addition of Papua New Guinea will also strengthen ASEAN’s influence at the global level,” the Cabinet Secretary remarked. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (FI/EP)
