President Prabowo Subianto Highlights Citizen Protection and ASEAN Role in Global Peace at Forty Eighth ASEAN Summit
President Prabowo Friday (05/08) attends the plenary session of the 48th ASEAN Summit, held at Mactan Expo, Cebu, the Philippines. (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat)
President Prabowo Subianto underscored the importance of protecting citizens and strengthening ASEAN’s role in maintaining global peace.
“The protection of our citizens must remain a top priority,” the President said in his remarks during the plenary session of the 48th ASEAN Summit, held at Mactan Expo, Cebu, the Philippines, Friday (05/08).
The President also stated that, given the high number of ASEAN citizens living abroad, close cooperation and coordination among member states are essential, and that a joint ASEAN approach is crucial for strengthening the protection and handling of citizens in emergency situations.
“I believe we must adopt a common ASEAN approach, and Indonesia stands ready to work closely with our ASEAN colleagues,” he said.
President Prabowo Subianto also underlined the importance of upholding the mandate of the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping forces.
According to the President, the safety of peacekeeping personnel must be guaranteed and respected by all parties involved in conflicts.
“We have lost Indonesian soldiers serving under the United Nations, and we call for accountability, insisting that peacekeeping duties must be respected by all parties,” the President emphasized.
President Prabowo Subianto also welcomed the spirit of solidarity shown by ASEAN member countries in supporting the protection and evacuation of their citizens, noting that such cooperation reflects the strong sense of togetherness among ASEAN nations.
“I welcome Singapore’s initiative in offering to cooperate with other countries in the event of citizen evacuation,” the President said.
The President also emphasized the importance of upholding international law and ensuring the protection of civilians, stressing that ASEAN must maintain a unified stance in responding to any violations of international law.
“In protecting our civilians, ASEAN must stand united. International law must be upheld, and every violation must be met with accountability. This is the moment for ASEAN to assert its influence with a strong, collective political voice,” the President said.
President Prabowo Subianto also reiterated that dialogue, cooperation, and collaboration are ASEAN’s primary strengths in addressing various global challenges. He further emphasized that peace serves as the fundamental basis for achieving prosperity for the people of the region.
“There will be no prosperity without peace, and there will be no peace without dialogue and cooperation,” he concluded. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (FI/EP)
