Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) encouraged the improvement of the ASEAN-Canada partnership into a strategic partnership by presenting more concrete cooperation. He conveyed it during a speech at the ASEAN-Canada Memorial Summit at Sokha Hotel, Phnom Penh on Saturday (12/11/2022).

“Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific context can be one launch project between ASEAN and Canada,” President Jokowi said at the summit attended by ASEAN leaders and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

According to President Jokowi, security issues in the Indo-Pacific region are of course very important, but economic and development issues are no less so.

“The ASEAN Indo-Pacific Outlook (AOIP) has four priorities for cooperation, namely connectivity, maritime, achievement of the SDGs and investment trade. Canada can concretely become a partner in the ‘ASEAN in the implementation of AOIP,’ he said.

Next year, Indonesia will take over the chairmanship of ASEAN and Indonesia will host the Indo-Pacific Infrastructure Forum. “Indonesia invites Canada to participate in the forum,” said President Jokowi.

The president also said that in the midst of a world that is not conducive, it is even more important to fill it with mutually beneficial concrete cooperation.

Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Mahfud MD, Coordinating Minister for Economy Airlangga Hartarto, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Minister of State Secretary Pratikno were also present to accompany President Jokowi at the ASEAN-Canada Memorial Summit. (BPMI SETPRES/AIT)