President Jokowi Tells Ministers to Follow-up Working Visits to Europe

President Jokowi leads a limited cabinet meeting on thefollow-ups of the working visit to Europe at the Presidential Office on Monday(25/4)

Following working visits to four European countries, President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo on Monday (25/4) at the Presidential Office held a limited meeting discussing the results of the visits.

In his introductory remarks, the President hopes that there would be follow-ups to the visits and told his ministers to be focused on following up the visits.

“We don’t have to be too ambitious. Doing one thing is enough but it must produce concrete results,” the President said.

President Jokowi added that the business-to-business agreements, which are between Indonesia’s private sectors and state-owned enterprises with European private sectors and state-owned enterprises have resulted in the US$ 20.5 billion deal that can be realized.

From the working visit to Germany, President Jokowi said that the Government has one focus: cooperation in vocational education, which includes cooperation to increase vocational schools, vocational training, and vocational international schools in quite a big number.

Therefore, President Jokowi instructed coordinating ministers, Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education, Minister of Educationand Culture, Minister of Manpower, as well as Minister of Industry to immediately coordinate and provide vocational education in a large scale, and to capitalize on available opportunities.

As for the result of the working visit in the UK, President Jokowi said that the follow-up must be focused on the creative economy sector. He also told related ministers to immediately follow-up the cooperation, be it in the matters related to design, handicrafts, performing arts, music and others.

Meanwhile, the result from the working visit to the Netherlands is focused on the maritime sector and President Jokowi said that the Government should concentrate on the sector because the Netherlands has a leading technology in seaport and water management.

“I suppose Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Transportation and other related ministries can focus on this sector,” he said.

President Jokowi also reminded that in August this year, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands is expected to visit Indonesia to discuss matters related to financial inclusion. Therefore, the President has told coordinating ministers to prepare everything so that the implementation can be immediately under way.

President Jokowi also noted that financial inclusion has long been initiated but Indonesia has not been able to follow it up well.“Now they believe that we can do it,” he said.

Regarding cooperation with the European Union, President Jokowi reminded the follow-up of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). He also said the completion of the initial phase of the negotiations for the CEPA, known as scoping papers – can be immediately finished and the negotiation must be immediately done and followed-up.

The limited cabinet meeting was also attended by Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Rizal Ramli, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of National Development Planning/Head of the National Development Planning Agency Sofyan Djalil, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said, Minister of Trade Thomas Lembong, Minister of Lawand Human Rights Yasonna Laoly, Minister of Manpower Hanif Dhakiri, Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education M. Nasir, and Minister of  Education and Culture Anis Baswedan. (DID/FID/ES) (EP/YM/Naster)