President Jokowi Makes His First Visit to the African Region, Will Visit Four Countries

The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi). (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Indonesian President Joko Widodo is leaving for four countries in Africa and this will be his first visit as President to the African region.

President Jokowi conveyed this in a press statement at Kualanamu International Airport, North Sumatra, Sunday.

"Today I and a limited delegation will leave for Africa. We will visit four countries, namely Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Africa. This is my first visit as President to the African region," President Jokowi said, quoted by Antara, Sunday, August 20.

President Jokowi said that his visit to the continent was because Indonesia and Africa had a long historical relationship. Given that Indonesia was the initiator and host of the Asian-African Conference in 1955.

According to the President, the conference which was held in Bandung also played an important role in creating the non-aligned movement.

"It is this Bandung spirit that I will bring with me on a visit to Africa by strengthening solidarity and cooperation among the Global South countries," said the President.

The Head of State explained the reasons for visiting four countries in Africa, especially Kenya and Tanzania having opened their embassy offices in Jakarta last year.

The President sees this as the commitment of the two countries to continue to strengthen cooperation with Indonesia. Meanwhile, Mozambique is the first African country where Indonesia has a Preferential Trade Agreement.

After visiting the country, the President also attended the invitation to the BRICS Summit which is a group of developing countries consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS).

On the sidelines of the BRICS Summit which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 22-24, the President of course held various bilateral meetings with other heads of state.

The President and the delegation will return to Indonesia on August 25.

A number of ministers accompanied President Jokowi to Africa from Kualanamu Airport, namely the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung and Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif, while Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi had already left for Africa.