The ambassador held a press briefing with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) in his residence in Seoul, to discuss Indonesia’s chairmanship priorities in ASEAN this year, including the upcoming ASEAN Indo-Pacific Forum.
According to a statement received here on Wednesday, the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Forum will feature panel discussions, talk shows, project showcasings, and business matchings, addressing sub-themes such as green infrastructure development, inclusive digital transformation, and sustainable financing.
Participants from the public and private sectors of the ASEAN member states, ASEAN external partners, countries in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific regions, international financial institutions (IFIs), and international organizations will be invited to attend the forum.
Participating countries are encouraged to contribute to the list of concrete infrastructure projects, providing opportunities for project showcasings, investments, and partnerships, he added.
Indonesia is holding the 2023 ASEAN chairmanship this year under the theme “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth.”
The theme encapsulates three pillars: ASEAN Matters, Epicentrum of Growth, and the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
The first pillar, "ASEAN Matters," aims to strengthen ASEAN's unity, centrality and capacity to address present and future challenges. "Vision 2045" has been established to enhance ASEAN's responsiveness and adaptability.
The second pillar, "Epicentrum of Growth," reinforces regional mechanisms to navigate external economic shocks. ASEAN aims to become a peaceful region, free from proxy conflicts, as an anchor for global stability and prosperity.
Meanwhile, the third pillar emphasizes the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) to foster concrete cooperation in key priority areas.
The AOIP, which was initiated by Indonesia, is a tool to maintain the stability of the Indo-Pacific region and ASEAN member countries. In its implementation, AOIP still has many challenges that must be addressed, particularly in the accommodation of the interests of each country in the Indo-Pacific region.
Indonesia continues to voice three main principles of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, namely ASEAN centrality, inclusivity, and complementarity.
AOIP offers dialogue and cooperation with all countries. The outlook also emphasizes synergies amid differences in the Indo-Pacific concept and aims to strengthen existing mechanisms in facing regional and global challenges.
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Reporter: Shofi Ayudiana
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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