Mahfud Talks about the Importance of Developing Regions in the ASEAN Forum

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD while leading the Indonesian delegation at the 25th Meeting of the ASEAN Political and Security Council (APSC Council), at Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday (10/11/2022). (ANTARA/HO-Humas Kemenko Polhukam)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, spoke about the importance of building a safe, peaceful and prosperous region in the ASEAN forum.

"The ASEAN political and security community is an important part of the ASEAN community to form a safe, peaceful area, and uphold democracy and human rights to jointly build a prosperous region", said Mahfud while leading the Indonesian Delegation at the 25th Meeting of the Political Society Council and ASEAN Security Council (APSC Council), in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, reported by ANTARA, Thursday, November 10.

This APSC Council meeting took place simultaneously with the implementation of the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits from 10-13 November 2022 which was attended by President Joko Widodo. The meeting was attended by the ASEAN Secretariat and all member countries, except Myanmar.

Mahfud, who was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi, conveyed the need to strengthen the ASEAN mechanism in handling the crime of trafficking in persons (TPPO) in the region, including increasing cooperation and building trust in the Indo-Pacific region.

"ASEAN's mechanism in handling trafficking in persons (TPPO) in the region needs to be strengthened, including the management of the South China Sea as a 'Sea of Peace' and the importance of implementing the ASEAN 'Outlook on the Indo Pacific' to increase cooperation and build trust in the Indo-Pacific region", he said.

Mahfud who became President Jokowi's delegation in attending the head of state level meeting which so far has recorded more than 20 meetings. Indonesia will assume the reins of ASEAN leadership in 2023.

The chairmanship handover ceremony is planned to be held at the closing ceremony of the ASEAN Summit. President Joko Widodo will present the theme of Indonesia's Chairmanship in ASEAN and the priorities that Indonesia wants to achieve.