Jokowi to strengthen ties with trip to South Asia

JAKARTA: During the series of state visits next week, Indonesian president Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will to meet his counterparts in Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan with economic cooperation as the main agenda item for each encounter, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said.

“The visits bring new opportunities for Indonesia to develop and strengthen economic cooperation with those countries,” she said.

Retno made the announcement following a closed-door meeting with Jokowi at the Presidential Palace, during which relevant government officials discussed the preparation and scheduling of the five-day trip.

Indonesia already has expanding trade links with South Asian countries that involve not only raw materials such as palm oil and coal, but also manufactured goods, and is negotiating comprehensive trade agreements with them as well.

Citing an example of a current link, Retno said state train manufacturer PT INKA has been exporting railway cars to Bangladesh for the past two years.

“We want to develop such success stories with other countries in the region” said Retno.

“In addition to economic matters, the President also plans to discuss humanitarian issues as part of Indonesia’s commitment to peace and humanitarian diplomacy in the Asian region.”

Retno also made it clear that Indonesia would not only make diplomatic overtures in the AsiaPacific region, but also across the vast Indian Ocean.

The Indo-Pacific region, which includes all countries on the coasts of the Indian and the Pacific oceans, appears to be Indonesia’s current focus for enhancing multilateral cooperation, including over maritime security, given that it is in line with Jokowi’s vision of developing Indonesia as a maritime nation.