JAKARTA - The complementary economic potential between ASEAN and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) makes the two areas important to have partnerships, moving towards concrete partnerships.
This was conveyed by the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sugiono, while attending the ASEAN ' Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministerial Meeting which was held on the sidelines of the ASEAN 46th Summit series at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, Malaysia, which was jointly led by the Philippines and Kuwait.
On this occasion, Foreign Minister Sugiono emphasized the importance of the ASEAN-GCC partnership in the midst of the growing geopolitical and global economic dynamics.
"ASEAN and GCC are the two most dynamic areas in the Indo-Pacific. It's time for us to move towards concrete cooperation," said Foreign Minister Sugiono in a statement from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thursday, May 29.
Foreign Minister Sugiono further emphasized that ASEAN-GCC cooperation must be focused on concrete implementation of the 20242028 Framework of Cooperation, including through platforms such as the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Forum (AIPF) and the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Business Network.
Foreign Minister Sugiono also underlined the economic potential of the two regions complementing each other, especially in the energy, food, investment and innovation sectors.
"Energy from the Gulf supports the growth of the ASEAN industry, while ASEAN food exports support food security in the Gulf region. We must encourage the feasibility study process of the ASEAN FTA as a catalyst for more close economic integration," explained Foreign Minister Sugiono.
In addition to the economy, Foreign Minister Sugiono also highlighted the importance of cooperation in protecting migrant workers through safe and responsible workforce mobility.
The Foreign Minister also highlighted the importance of maritime cooperation to maintain the stability of shipping routes, encourage the development of the blue economy, and eradicate transnational crime.
Closing his statement, Foreign Minister Sugiono expressed deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Palestine and strongly condemned the acts of violence by Israel.
Foreign Minister Sugiono reiterated Indonesia's position in supporting a two-state solution as a path to fair and sustainable peace.
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"Israel must be held accountable for its atrocities. Indonesia will continue to speak up and move with partner countries to ensure justice in Palestine," said Foreign Minister Sugiono.
It is known that the ASEAN-GCC economic potential is large, with total GDP reaching USD 6 trillion, almost 6 percent of the World GDP and a total population of more than 734 million, the majority of the population of productive age.
The ASEAN-GCC ministerial meeting was held before the implementation of the 2nd ASEAN-GCC Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this week.
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