Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has said that the country, as the ASEAN chair this year, aims to push for more concrete and inclusive cooperation among countries in the region.
Speaking in a hearing of Indonesia’s parliament on January 30, the minister emphasised they want to show the world that ASEAN is relevant and important for all regions and countries across the globe.
She added that they should be confident because the economy in Southeast Asia will still be more stable and grow faster than the global economy.
According to Marsudi, during its ASEAN chairmanship, Indonesia will organise a flagship discussion about the creative economy, digital economy for sustainable development goals, infrastructure development, as well as inclusive business and investment.
Indonesia wants ASEAN to uphold the principle of development inclusiveness so that no country will feel excluded or left behind, because such insecurity can trigger or maintain rivalry among countries in the region, Marsudi said.
Earlier, at a ceremony to launch Indonesia’s 2023 ASEAN chairmanship on January 29, Indonesian President Joko Widodo emphasised its theme of “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”.
He said Indonesia, as Southeast Asia’s largest economy, should foster initiatives and concrete steps to solve crucial regional issues and lead other member states to contribute to the world amid the current challenging situation.
ASEAN will continue to maintain economic growth, peace, and stability in the region, he said./.
Source: Vietnam News Agency