President Jokowi Invites PM Of Cook Islands To Increase Regional Cooperation

President Jokowi and Islands Prime Minister Cook Mark Brown held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit. (ANTARA/HO-Biro Press of the Secretariat of the President of the Republic of Indonesia)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo invited Archipelago Prime Minister Cook Mark Brown to increase cooperation in order to create a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Pacific region.

According to President Jokowi, this can be achieved through the spirit of collaboration and mutual respect for the sovereignty and integrity of their respective regions.

"I believe His Majesty has the same view and voiced this at the Pacific Islands Forum," Jokowi said in a statement reported by ANTARA, Saturday, May 20.

President Jokowi conveyed this during a bilateral meeting with PM Brown at the Rihga Royal Hotel, Hiroshima, Japan, Saturday, on the sidelines of the G7 Summit series.

"This is our first meeting since bilateral relations opened in 2019. Congratulations also on Your Excellency's chairmanship at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)," said Jokowi.

President Jokowi reminded that as fellow Pacific countries, Indonesia and the Cook Islands must unite and jointly face marine and climate change issues which are challenges in the future.

In addition, President Jokowi expressed Indonesia's desire to be directly involved in supporting development in Pacific countries.

"We are also developing a roadmap for cooperation in development in the Pacific as a follow-up to the Indonesia-Pacific Forum for Development," he said.

Indonesia and the Cook Islands, Jokowi continued, also have the opportunity to increase cooperation in various fields, such as agriculture, fisheries, tourism, education, and natural disaster management.