"A 'maritime nation' sobriquet that Indonesia deserves is possible only if we are able to maximise the maritime potential and harness its resources for the benefit of the people and the country," Pandjaitan stated at the commemoration of the 2021 National Maritime Day observed from Jakarta on Thursday.
During this year's 57th National Maritime Day, observed every September 23, the minister reminded that the Indonesian archipelago is a blessing from the Almighty God that has endowed the country with rich and diverse natural resources.
"As a great maritime nation, we should manage our natural resources responsibly and ensure its utilisation for the benefit of the people and the national economy," Minister Pandjaitan stated.
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The coordinating minister has encouraged Indonesians to hone their ability to harness and utilise natural resources to advance the national economy and boost the people's livelihood, he said.
President Joko Widodo's vision to establish Indonesia as a global maritime axis holds relevance to the current global situation, especially since Indonesia is located at a crossroads of oceans and straddles continents, Pandjaitan noted.
"The international community and groups may interpret our vision for a global maritime axis based on their own interest, but what President Joko Widodo is looking for with the vision is to restore Indonesia's glory at sea as a major maritime nation, akin to our ancestors in the past," he stated.
To achieve the global maritime axis vision, people should reaffirm its national maritime goal and develop the country based on a maritime outlook, he remarked.
"Hence, the national development planning and implementation should accentuate our character as an archipelagic country," Pandjaitan affirmed.
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Translator: Ade Irma Junida, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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