Foreign Minister Retno: Next Year's Important For Indonesia Makes ASEAN Still Important And Relevant

Photo: Doc. Antara

JAKARTA - Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that next year is an important year for Indonesia because it will become the Chair of ASEAN and Indonesia wants to keep ASEAN important and relevant.

"This (ASEAN) chairmanship will be carried out in the midst of a world situation that will not be better yet," said Retno in a virtual speech at the 2022 Indonesian Foreign Policy Conference (CIFP) in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Saturday, November 26.

The Indonesian government received the handover of ASEAN Chairship from Cambodia in early November.

The Foreign Minister revealed that Indonesia's chairmanship in ASEAN next year will carry the theme "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth".

"Indonesia also wants to make Southeast Asia a center for economic growth, the epicenter of growth," said Retno.

Retno hopes that Indonesia can carry out ASEAN Chairship as well as Indonesia can run the G20 Presidency this year.

The Indonesian Foreign Policy Community (FPCI) again held the 7th CIFP event with the theme "Navigating A Turbulent Ocean".

FPCI founder and leader Dino Patti Djalal said at a press conference on Thursday that the event was a forum for stakeholders involved in foreign political affairs, including government, ambassadors of foreign countries, diplomats, experts, entrepreneurs, students, to lecturers and celebrities.

This year's CIFP event also awarded the Global Leadership Award to President Joko Widodo for his role during Indonesia's presidency at the G20 this year.