President Jokowi Receives AIIB Delegation

President Jokowi, on Monday (12/3) morning, receives courtesy call from AIIB delegation at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java (Photo: BPMI)

On Monday (12/3) morning, President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo received courtesy call from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) delegation at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java.

Led by Christopher Legg, this delegation consisted of several executive directors of AIIB who are going to visit Yogyakarta as well as Solo. After the meeting with the President, they visited the site of MRT construction in Jakarta.<>

“MRT project in Jakarta was launched when I served as the Governor of Jakarta. I also started my political career as the Mayor of Solo. So, I am so happy because you will visit these cities,” the President said when welcoming the AIIB delegation.

Accompanied by Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, and Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, President Jokowi reiterated his support for the establishment of AIIB. It aims to provide infrastructure financing in order to support the economy that in accordance with the vision and mission of the government which prioritizes infrastructure developement during the five years of administration.

“Indonesia is one of the first countries that fully support the idea of AIIB. One of my first actions when I became the President of Indonesia in 2014 was I declared full support and serious intention to join AIIB,” the President said.

After the meeting, Rionald Silaban, one of executive directors of AIIB joining the meeting, said that the visit of AIIB delegation to Indonesia is to see the programs as well as projects related with AIIB.

“We are here for a courtesy call. Tomorrow, we will visit Yogyakarta and Solo to see programs and projects related with AIIB,” Rionald said.

The head of the delegation, Christopher Legg, said that the AIIB now finances three infrastructure projects conducted by rhe Government of Indonesia. He hoped that the AIIB can contribute to the development in Indonesia.

“So far, we have financed three projects here. The AIIB is still young because it has just operated for two years. During two years, we have financed 20 projects which three of them are in Indonesia,” Legg said.

When he was asked whether the AIIB worries about the situation in Indonesia in the because this country is now entering the period of Regional and Presidential Elections, Legg said that the AIIB does not think that this is something that needs to be worried about.

“The AIIB is not interested with domestic politics. At the moment there are several projects that are ready to be executed and we do not make political issues as the basis for our consideration,” Legg further said.

(BPMI/EN) (MMB/YM/Naster)