Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi Explains The Meaning Behind The 2023 ASEAN Theme

Minister of Foreign Affairs (Menlu) Retno Marsudi. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Foreign Affairs (Menlu) Retno Marsudi explained the meaning behind the theme ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth created by Indonesia in order to carry out its role as Chair of ASEAN 2023.

The theme is ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth. So if we look at the theme, there are two big elements. The first element is ASEAN Matters," he told reporters, Sunday, January 29.

Furthermore, Retno explained, this religious element means how Indonesia and its chairman continue to make ASEAN relevant and important not only for the Indonesian people, but also for the ASEAN people and beyond.

"So the beyond is there, outside ASEAN," he said.

Then, continued Retno, Indonesia also wants ASEAN to continue playing a central role so that it can become a motorcycle, can contribute to regional stability and peace. The area here has reached the Indo-Pacific.

We see that this Indo-Pacific is a very strategic area and in this Indo-Pacific, rivalry also occurs very high. Therefore, the President said that we want to make ASEAN a very important role, becoming the locomotive to drive the Indo-Pacific into a peaceful and stable area. That's what ASEAN Matters," he said.

The second element is Epicentrum of Growth. According to Retno, Indonesia wants to increase its UTS for ASEAN economic growth which is always higher than world growth.

ADB's ASEAN economy is projected to be 4.7 percent, while the World Bank's projection for world economic growth is 1.7 percent.

"Well, the President wants this asset to continue to be increased so that Southeast Asia, ASEAN can still become the epicenter of growth or the center of economic growth," he explained.

Retno said that the way for ASEAN to remain an economic growth is with several collaborations that will be strengthened, including in the fields of health, energy, food and finance.

In addition, Indonesia also wants to advance its economic approach and cooperation in the development of the Indo-Pacific region.

Therefore, continued Retno, during the Chairmanship of Indonesia, our flagship event will have an ASEAN Indo-Pacific Forum which contains four main activities, namely the creative economy, the digital economy for the purpose of sustainable development, business and investment, and infrastructure.

"So overall (the theme of Indonesia's strength for ASEAN 2023) will unite into efforts to strengthen Southeast Asia as the center of economic plants," he said.