"Mr. Jokowi has been working hard this year to lead Indonesia as the 2023 chair of ASEAN. The value of cooperation (projects) is fantastic. Hopefully, the cooperation will be well-implemented and benefit the people," he noted in a statement received here on Saturday.
As the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, Indonesia has successfully hosted numerous agenda items for the regional bloc, including the 43rd ASEAN Summit that was recently held in Jakarta on September 5-7.
The recent summit featured several side events, including the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum (AIPF), that resulted in commitments among ASEAN member states and partners that include 93 cooperation projects whose overall value reached Rp580 trillion, or equivalent to US$38.2 billion.
Buchari urged the government to make genuine efforts to ensure that the benefits gained from the 43rd ASEAN Summit reach the people, especially those who run micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), in the hopes of sustaining the positive trend in national economic growth.
He also commended President Jokowi for his tenacity in voicing the interests of not only Indonesia but also of other developing countries in the Indo-Pacific region.
He stated that cooperation between public and private sectors involved in the AIPF can be manifested in various investment projects that support the development of new and renewable energy, hydrogen, ammonia, battery supply chain, as well as construction of toll roads and ports.
Furthermore, he described the president as a leader figure, who has the courage to consistently voice the importance of maintaining stability and peace. President Jokowi had earlier affirmed that stability and peace are the keys to prosperity.
The HIPMI chairman then underscored Jokowi's success in attracting leaders of partner countries, such as the United States and China, to personally attend the 43rd ASEAN Summit and commended Indonesia's leadership in ASEAN.
"It should be noted that the Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris and the Prime Minister of China Li Qiang personally attended (the summit) and lauded Jokowi. Moreover, Japan, Canada, and South Korea also participated in the summit," he stated.
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Translator: Maria Cicilia, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Sri Haryati
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