The Need of Breakthrough in Cooperation with the South Pacific Countries: President Jokowi

President Jokowi discusses with Vice President and Cabinet Secretary before a Limited Meeting on the Enhancement of Cooperation between Indonesia and the South Pacific Countries, at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Friday (4/5) (Photo: Human Relations Division/Agung).

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo expressed the need of breakthrough in cooperation with the South Pacific countries, especially with those are geographically close to Indonesia.

“I am sure the countries in the South Pacific such as Nauru, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Fiji, Solomon Island, Samosa, Tonga, are welcomed to cooperate with our country in various fields,” President Jokowi said in a Limited Meeting on the Enhancement of Cooperation between Indonesia and the South Pacific Countries, at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, on Friday (4/5) afternoon.

Those cooperation are including, the President further said, to establish inter-communities relations, as well as cooperation in culture, education -such as scholarship aid- and economy both investment and trade.

President argued that Indonesia must already enter overseas non-traditional markets, including in the South Pacific countries, to market manufacture industrial eminent products which includes maritime, fisheries, and service industry, as well as in construction, informatics, and telecommunication areas. “I see that the opportunities are great and could be utilized as the acceleration corridor of eastern part of Indonesia,” President Jokowi conveyed. The key is, the President emphasized, strengthening the connectivity, both cultural and economy, which must be indeed supported by an integrated transportation system with the South Pacific countries.

Also present in the meeting were, among others, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut B. Pandjaitan, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno LP Marsudi, Minister of Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo, Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly, Minister of Communication and Informatics Rudiantara, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Education and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, Minister of Youth and Sports Imam Nahrawi, Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education M. Nasir, Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya, Minister of Transportation Budi K. Sumadi, Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Head of National Land Agency Sofyan Djalil, Minister of Empowerment of State Apparatus and Bureaucratic Reform Asman Abnur, Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita, Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Susi Pudjiastuti, Minister of Social Idrus Marham, Attorney General M. Prasetyo, Commander of Indonesian National Defence Forces Hadi Tjahjanto, and Chief of Indonesian National Police Tito Karnavian. (DNA/RFS/ES) (EPI/YM/Naster)