President Jokowi Calls for Strengthening APEC Concrete Partnership

President Jokowi and First Lady Ibu Iriana Joko Widodo arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday (11/17). (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/Laily Rachev)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo called on the Economic Leaders of APEC to strengthen concrete partnership to address global crises, such as food, energy, and environmental crises as well as to face the threat of recession.

The statement was delivered by the President during APEC Leaders’ intervention in Session I, held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Friday (11/18).

“For the short term, collaboration is definitely needed to fight inflation and ensure food security,” he stated.

President Jokowi also encouraged the establishment of APEC Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030 that ensures food security through innovative and digitalized technology, increasing productivity and efficiency of the food system as well as inclusive and sustainable policies.

“The availability of fertilizer and livestock feed should also become our concern in order to prevent a food crisis affecting three billion of the global population,” he said.

For the long term, President Jokowi pushed for enhancing partnership on digital economy and green economy.

According to him, the digital and green economy hold a crucial role in the recovery of an inclusive economy.

“Since the pandemic, benefits of digital economy are felt more intensely, for instance through telemedicine, food delivery service, digital payment, and MSMEs going digital at marketplace. We should develop this digital economy ecosystem that is friendly to MSMEs and start-ups by strengthening digital skills and literacy,” he further explained.

On that session, President Jokowi also encouraged the development of green economy for economic recovery in the region. He went on to say that green economy is the future for regional economy and more than US$90 billion has been allocated to develop various green projects in APEC region.

“For that reason, I welcome Thailand’s Bangkok Goals for a Bio-Circular-Green Economy initiative. The initiative will set the access to finance, technology, innovation, and capacity strengthening,” he remarked.

President Jokowi underscored that the strengthening of collaboration among members of APEC is the key to achieve our goals. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/AIT) (RAS/HD/LW)