Supporting Sea Route Connectivity, President Jokowi Asks Jose Ramos-Horta To Open The Kupang-Dili-Darwin Ship Route

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo asked the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to increase sea lane connectivity by opening a shipping route to Kupang-Dili-Darwin.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) made this request in a press statement during the state visit of the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Jose Ramos-Horta, and his delegation to the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Tuesday, July 19.

"For sea connectivity, I see the importance of opening the Kupang-Dili-Darwin ship route", President Jokowi said in a press statement as witnessed virtually via the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube account, reported from Antara.

President Jokowi explained that the two countries agreed to improve connectivity on both land and sea. For land connectivity, he hopes that the launch of the Kupang-Dili bus route can be carried out soon.

The strengthening of cooperation related to land connectivity began with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cross-border bus movement by the Indonesian Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi and the Minister of Transport and Communications of Timor-Leste José Agustinho da Silva.

In a bilateral meeting between Indonesia and Timor-Leste, President Jokowi said that strengthening economic cooperation was the focus of discussion between the two parties. In addition to connectivity, Indonesia and Timor-Leste agreed to increase trade between the two countries.

"By looking at the trend in the development of trade relations that continues to be positive, I believe that trade between the two countries can continue to be increased", said President Jokowi.

Jokowi also invited SOEs and Indonesian companies to participate in development in Timor-Leste, including in the infrastructure sector.

Currently, the value of Indonesia's investment in Timor Leste reaches US$ 818 million, with the main sectors in banking, oil and gas, and telecommunications.

The four memorandum of understanding signed by the two countries, namely cooperation in agriculture, bus cross-border movement, standardization, and metrology as well as technical cooperation in the trade sector.