President Jokowi Attends Virtual APEC Informal Summit To Discuss Handling COVID-19

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) attends the APEC Informal Summit (ANTARA/HO-Press Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat/Lukas)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) attended the Informal Summit on Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) virtually from the State Palace. Discussed the efforts of regional countries to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and restore the economy.

Minister of Foreign Affairs (Menlu) Retno Marsudi who accompanied the President, explained that this informal summit was initiated by New Zealand to discuss the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic that has hit many countries. The meeting was chaired by New Zealand Prime Minister (PM) Jacinda Ardern as Chair of APEC this year.

"In the current pandemic situation, New Zealand has initiated a special additional summit to discuss APEC collaboration in handling the pandemic and regional economic recovery," Foreign Minister Retno said on the Presidential Secretariat Youtube after the APEC Informal Summit, quoted by Antara, Friday, July 16.

The informal summit was also attended by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and WHO Executive Director of Health Emergencies Programme, Michael Ryan. The IMF and WHO said the world situation was still full of challenges, both from a health and an economic perspective.

"After last year experienced minus growth, the projected world growth for 2021 is estimated at 6 percent. However, this growth will certainly be influenced by the pandemic situation in the future. The issue of access to vaccines for all countries gets the attention of two speakers and do it together and time of year. solidarity was emphasized by the two speakers," said the Foreign Minister.

In the past week, the number of COVID-19 cases at the global level increased by around 15 percent. At the meeting, WHO said that the world was facing an increase in the number of cases and deaths in the last four weeks. Some APEC economies are even facing a rise in cases of more than 100 percent.

Foreign Minister Retno said that APEC has so far agreed on a number of commitments related to handling the pandemic and accelerating economic recovery, namely a declaration to facilitate the movement of essential goods during the pandemic which was issued in 2020.

Meanwhile, in 2021, APEC issued a joint statement to facilitate the service sector that supports the movement of essential goods and a joint statement to accelerate the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement to support the smooth supply chain of COVID-19 vaccines and other related goods.

The APEC Summit this time also produced the APEC Economic Leader Statement document: Overcoming COVID-19 and Accelerating Economic Recovery. Highlights of the document include cooperation to promote equitable access to a COVID-19 vaccine, the importance of creating new jobs and inclusive economic recovery.

Then structural reforms to support the adaptation of workers and the business sector, including through digital transformation, as well as trade, investment, and regional economic integration to encourage economic recovery.

In addition to being accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the meeting President Joko Widodo was also accompanied by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung.