Jokowi Invites ASEAN To Cooperate To Reduce Tensions In Indo-Pacific

President Joko Widodo (left five) took a photo with a number of ASEAN/POOL/ANTARA PHOTO/Akbar Nugroho Gumay/rwa heads of state.

LABUAN BAJO - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) invites the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to work together to reduce tensions in the Indo-Pacific, which includes the Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean.

The invitation was conveyed when opening the 42nd ASEAN Summit treatment session in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, Thursday, May 11.

Jokowi said that one way to reduce tensions in the Indo-Pacific region is to implement ASEAN's View of the Indo-Pacific (ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific / AOIP).

"Concrete and inclusive cooperation is needed to reduce tensions in the Indo-Pacific, one of which can go through the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Infrastructure Forum as a concrete cooperation platform with partner countries," Jokowi said as quoted by ANTARA.Indo-Pacific is the region with the fastest growth in the world covering 65 percent of the world economy. The area is also a residence for more than half the world's population so that many countries are fighting for influence in the Indo-Pacific.

Through Indonesia's initiative, ASEAN in 2019 launched AOIP which is an affirmation of ASEAN's position in its role to maintain peace, security, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

AIOP puts forward an open and inclusive dialogue and cooperation approach, instead of competition and competition. This view confirms that ASEAN will not side with any major country and will maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific region.

At the ASEAN 2023 Summit, Indonesia will hold several main activities under the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific forum as part of efforts to implement AOIP.

In addition to infrastructure forums, these series of activities also include youth dialogue and digital development in supporting sustainable development (SDGs), creative economic forums, as well as business and investment ASEAN Summits.

In this chairmanship, Indonesia raised the theme ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth which means ASEAN is relevant and important as a center of world growth.

Indonesia aims to strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of ASEAN institutions in order to be able to answer the challenges of the next 20 years. Indonesia stated that it will oversee the area towards ASEAN 2045 which needs to be more adaptive, responsive, and competitive in ways that are in line with the principles of the ASEAN Charter.

As chairman, Indonesia also aims to strengthen economic recovery and make Southeast Asia a sustainable growth engine.

ASEAN was founded in Bangkok, Thailand, on August 8, 1967 and currently consists of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

Timor Leste, which in November last year was accepted in principle to become the 11th member of ASEAN, is currently undergoing the process of becoming a full member of the regional organization.