Strong Foundation for Regional Cooperation Established
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ANTARA/ROSA PANGGABEAN
Menteri Luar Negeri Retno Marsudi memimpin sidang tingkat menteri dalam rangkaian KTT IORA ke-20 tahun 2017 di Jakarta Convention Center, Jakarta, Senin (6/3). Rangkaian pertemuan tingkat menteri luar negeri tersebut mengagendakan pembacaan serta adopsi hasil rumusan dua dokumen yang disepakati pada pertemuan pejabat senior (Senior Official Meeting).
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – A strong foundation has been laid for the Indian Ocean Rim Association’s (IORA) efforts to convert challenges into opportunities. These efforts include an agreement on relevant documents, including the IORA Concord and action plan, reached in the IORA Foreign Ministers’ Summit in Jakarta on Monday (6/3).
The meeting was led collectively by Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. After the meeting, Retno said that the discussion was lively and productive. As a result, the foreign ministers had agreed on the IORA Concord and the IORA action plan, both of which would be signed by heads of IORA member states this Tuesday.
Retno said that the IORA Concord would serve as a basis to improve cooperation between member states. Meanwhile, the agreed action plan would implement IORA’s missions in the region.
The foreign ministers of the IORA member states also discussed and agreed upon efforts to fight terrorism and extremism. “We continue to strengthen our regional cooperation to ensure and preserve accountable and sustainable regional stability, security, infrastructure development and natural resource management, as well as to strengthen dialogue between member states,” Retno said.
Some 70 percent of global trade is currently estimated to pass through the Indian Ocean. In 2015, regional trade in the Indian Ocean was estimated to reach US$777 billion. Half of the world’s cargo ships and two-thirds of the world’s oil tankers sail the Indian Ocean.
This was the enormous potential of the Indian Ocean, President Joko Widodo said in his speech at the industry players’ summit attended by 314 businesspeople.
“The Indian Ocean is the future and the future of the global economy resides here,” the President said.
Bishop said that she fully supported Indonesia’s agenda of promoting IORA as a potential forum for member states and dialogue partners. This was important as every state in the region was facing a number of collective challenges, including maritime safety and security, fishery resource management, disaster risk management and the development of trade and investment potential to improve welfare.
“Today’s declaration has made us aware on the need to share information and work together to beat extremism. I wish to congratulate Indonesia,” Bishop said.
Nkoana-Mashabane shared a similar sentiment, saying South Africa supported efforts to strengthen regional cooperation. The African country, which will replace Indonesia as IORA chair this year, would also be ready to further develop regional cooperation.
