Jokowi Calls The Indian Ocean Will Contribute A Fifth Of The World's GDP In 2025

President Jokowi at ASEAN-India Summit (Photo: Youtube screenshot of the Presidential Secretariat by Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the Indian Ocean area has the potential to contribute to a fifth of gross domestic product or GDP in 2025.

The potential for a fifth of the world's GDP, said Jokowi, is based on the fact that the Indian Ocean cassava connects 33 countries. Moreover, continued Jokowi, this area is inhabited by 2.9 billion people.

"We see the great potential of the Indian Ocean which connects 33 countries with 2.9 billion people and a fifth of the world's GDP in 2025," he said during a speech at the ASEAN-India 20th Summit at JCC, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday, September 7.

The former governor of DKI Jakarta said that the progress of the Indian Ocean area could only be achieved through the cooperation of stakeholders.

According to Jokowi, the cooperation between ASEAN and India so far has indeed provided real benefits for the community. However, it still has to be optimized.

"We can encourage the potential of this cooperation towards a blue economy, food security, maritime connectivity, and sustainable marine energy resources," he explained.

In addition, Jokowi said maritime crimes must also be overcome together. The crimes in question include piracy, human smuggling, drugs, and also Illegal Unregulated Fishing (IUUF).

"We must be able to make the sea of cooperation ocean not a sea of corruption which must continue to maintain its stability, which must be maintained in peace by respecting international law, encouraging the habit of cooperation and building inclusive regional architecture," he said.