Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi says that ASEAN will hold two summits this year, in May and September, with the aim of making ASEAN important and relevant to its people.
In her press statement released yesterday (Wednesday), touching on various aspects of Indonesian foreign policy in coming year, she also outlined the matters that Indonesia would like to pursue for the rest of the year. She said that ASEAN must be prepared for ASEAN 2045, that ASEAN centrality must be reinforced, cross border crimes resolved and that the human rights dialogue must be strengthened.
She pointed out that the theme “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth” is aimed at transforming Southeast Asia into the centre of regional economic growth. “Amid the threat of recession, Southeast Asia’s economy is projected to perform better than global average economic growth,” she said, adding that Southeast Asia is likely to remain a bright spot in a world edging towards recession, with a prediction that ASEAN’s economic growth will reach 4.7% in 2023.
Furthermore, the ASEAN chair will strengthen cooperation on a myriad of issues, including food security, energy and health security, as well as financial stability.
Regarding the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), she said that the implementation of the AOIP will be the spirit of Indonesia’s Chairmanship priorities.” An Indo-Pacific region that is peaceful, stable, respectful of international law and which prioritises inclusive cooperation is key to ASEAN becoming the “Epicentrum of Growth” in the region and the world,” she added.
