Closing IPPP Session, Puan: RI Ready To Become A Mitra Pembangunan Negara Pacific

Puan Maharani (Photo via Dok DPR)

JAKARTA - The 2nd session of the Indonesia-Pacific Parliamentary Partnership (IPPP) has officially closed. DPR Speaker Puan Maharani stated that Indonesia is committed to becoming a development partner for countries in the Pacific region.

Overall, the meeting was successful and constructive. A total of 12 countries, including 7 Speakers of Parliament, were present at the meeting. This is really an important achievement, especially for Indonesia in strengthening relations with Pacific countries," said Puan after closing the session at Fairmont Jakarta, Thursday, July 25.

He said, the IPPP meeting showed the DPR's important role in encouraging parliamentary partnerships of Pacific countries in responding to various regional challenges. "During the IPPP meeting, we succeeded in identifying strategic issues faced and how to overcome them by Indonesia and Pacific countries such as climate change, maritime, economic cooperation, SDGs, security and peace, to regional connectivity," he explained.

At the first plenary session to take the theme Fostering regional connectivity and inclusive development', Puan led the course of discussions about the role of parliament to encourage regional connectivity and inclusive development.' I also emphasize the importance of inclusive development, including the need for women's empowerment to be included in politics, explained Puan.

In the second session, IPPP members discussed the topic of 'Connecting Our Seas and People: Opportunities and Challenges' where the Indonesian-Pacific parliament agreed to improve connectivity between regions both physically and unphysically.

According to Puan, members of the IPPP Session also discussed the connectivity of marine areas which emphasized the importance of air and sea transportation infrastructure, as well as cooperation in implementing communication technology.

"We will also continue to encourage people-to-people cooperation through education, tourism, cultural exchanges and so on," added the first woman to serve as Chair of the DPR RI.

Then in the third session of the trial, IPPP raised the topic of "Harnessing Maritime Potentials for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth" which specifically discusses inclusive development cooperation by utilizing marine potential. "In this case, some of the issues that we are concerned about are cooperation in the development of the blue economy, industry and trade in fishery products, to marine tourism or maritime tourism," said Puan.

From the results of these discussions, the Indonesian-Pacific parliament expressed the results of the meeting in the Chair's Summary document which reflected its aspirations with the IPPP meeting. Puan also detailed Chair's Summary points of the IPPP Session in Jakarta in 2024.

The second point of Chair's Summary IPPP's 2nd session is about the DPR's commitment to help the parliament of Pacific countries increase capacity in carrying out parliamentary functions (legislation, supervision, and budget). "The DPR RI is also ready to help improve the quality of parliamentary secretariat services in the field of law design, media management, and information technology development," said Puan.

The third point is the agreement to strengthen Indonesia's parliamentary cooperation with Pacific countries. Puan also encourages the role of IPPP to be maximized. "I also emphasize that IPPP must become a parliamentary cooperation platform for Indonesia and Pacific countries," he said.

On the sidelines of the IPPP meeting, a parliamentary dialogue was also held between the DPR and members of the MSG who were present at the Indonesia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum Session, namely from Solomon Islands, Fuji, and Papua New Guinea.

During the closing of the 2nd IPPP Session, Puan asked the Chairman of the House of Representatives' Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Agency (BKSAP) Fadli Zon, who acted as a rapporteur for the IPPP meeting, to convey a summary of the meeting before the delegates.

Puan also invited the current President of the Pacific Archipelago Parliament Forum, Lord Fatafehi Fakafaniara who is also the Speaker of the Tongan Parliament to deliver a closing remarks and views from the parliament of Pacific countries. At the 2nd IPPP Session, Lord Fatafehi Fakafanua acted as Co-Chair.

Puan encourages the construction of a smooth communication line between the DPR RI and the Parliament of Pacific countries so that they can communicate directly if there are things that need to be asked and coordinate so that if there are dynamics, problems do not need to be brought to multilateralism forums, such as the United Nations. Effective regionalism is expected to solve the problems and challenges faced in the region itself. As a big Pacific family, we are expected to be able to solve various challenges and problems with dialogue between ourselves, "he said. Furthermore, Puan ensures that Indonesia is committed to sharing knowledge and experience through training programs for partners in the Pacific even though Indonesia is still experiencing development challenges.

"And I invite the delegation of Pacific countries to tell the people in their country that Indonesia wants to increase friendship with the people in the Pacific," hoped the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture. July 26, the delegation will be invited by the DPR to take a field trip to the Science & Techno Park (STP) of the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) which is managed for innovation development, business incubation, and technology transfer. Delegation will also be invited to visit Kebon Raya Bogor.

This field trip aims to introduce Indonesia's flora wealth and show various studies on how Indonesia downstreams marine products. "Let's build a bridge, and not a barrier (barrier) to bring positive changes to the Pacific region. One heart, one family, together we are stronger," concluded Puan.