President Jokowi to Address Australian Parliament
Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi delivers a press conference at Hyatt Hotel Canberra – A Park Hyatt, Canberra, Saturday (8/2). (Photo by: PR/Dindha Moerti)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is scheduled to address the Australian Parliament on Monday (10/2) and is set to become the 12th world leaders to deliver a speech in history of the Australian Parliament.
“The President is also scheduled to conduct a tete a tete meeting with Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison on the third day of his state visit in Australia and attend a signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding on the plan of action for a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for 2020-2024,” Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi told the press at the Hyatt Hotel Canberra, Saturday (8/2).
The second MoU, Retno added, is cooperation in the transportation sector. “Afterwards, the President and the Prime Minister will deliver a joint press statement,” the Foreign Minister said.
The next agenda would be a courtesy call by the leader of the opposition of the Australian Parliament and a courtesy call from Speaker of the Australian Parliament and Speaker of the Australian Senate.
Retno went on to say that the President’s last agenda in Canberra would be the Indonesia-Australia Business Round Table to be held at Hyatt Hotel.
She further said that the President Jokowi’s state visit to Australia this time carries a strategic importance, adding that this year Indonesia and Australia commemorate the 70th anniversary of bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries.
The President’s visit also came after the ratification of the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA).
Indonesia and Australia, she added, have agreed on the five-year road map of the implementation of the agreement. “We hope that bilateral relations with Australia will be more robust and mutually beneficial,” she said. (MAY/EN)
Translated by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Reviewed by: Muhammad Ersan Pamungkas
