Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia During the Closing Ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Summit, September 7, 2023
Your Majesty,
Your Excellencies ASEAN Leaders,
Your Excellencies Leaders of the ASEAN Dialogue Partners,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
First of all, allow me to convey my highest appreciation to all Leaders and invitees for attending this closing ceremony. We have conducted 12 meetings during the three-day Summit and produced 90 outcomes documents, as well as a number of concrete agreements with our partners.
During the meetings, I noticed optimism and positive energy from all participants. To be frank, they strengthen hope and spirit to continue our struggle to create a peaceful, steady, and prosperous region.
Let’s establish the Indo-Pacific region as a theater of peace and inclusiveness. This is the key foundation which will lead ASEAN to better future for people and global. This is the essence built by Indonesia’s chairmanship to make ASEAN matters as epicentrum of growth.
However, our duty has not finished yet. ASEAN’s huge task is not possible to finish in only one chairmanship. We will continue to face various dynamics and complexity of global challenges. Therefore, together we must navigate the challenges to opportunities, rivalry to collaboration, exclusiveness to inclusiveness, and disparity to unity.
We must be the captain on our own ship. And now we pass the baton of chairmanship to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR). Let’s join hands to continue strengthening collaboration and cooperation for a peaceful and prosperous ASEAN, and to make the world a better place for all.
Once again, I would like to convey my gratitude for all supports during the 2023 Indonesia’s Chairmanship.
To that end, I hereby officially declare the 43rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits close.
I would also like to invite His Excellency Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR, to continue the ASEAN chairmanship in 2024.
(GA/EP)