ASEAN Summit Series, Jokowi Scheduled To Play A Number Of Bilateral Meetings Tuesday Afternoon

Indonesian President Joko Widodo while reviewing the Media Center for the 42nd ASEAN Summit at the Bintang Flores Hotel, Labuan Bajo, (ANTARA)

LABUAN BAJO - President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo is scheduled to hold a number of bilateral meetings with the head of state/head of ASEAN member government on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the 42nd ASEAN Summit (KTT) series in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara. "This afternoon (President) there will be several bilateral meetings, then tomorrow starting from the summit until the day after tomorrow, May 10-11 (May), ending with a press conference," said Director General of Information and Public Communication of the Ministry of Communication and Information Usman Kansong when met at the Media Center of the 42nd ASEAN Summit at the Flores Star Hotel, Labuan Bajo, quoted by ANTARA Tuesday, May 9. His plan is that President Jokowi will undergo a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister (PM) Pham Minh Chinh, Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, Timorese Prime Minister Leste Taur Matan Ruak, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. It is known that all heads of state/head of government attended the 42nd ASEAN Summit directly, except for Myanmar and Thailand.Myanmar was not invited to politically attend the 42nd ASEAN Summit in line with the attitude of the regional cooperation organization, which has excluded the Myanmar military junta in high-level meetings. While Thailand's presence is represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Don Pramudwinai, representing Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha, because the White Elephant Country is preparing to conduct an election vote on May 14. At this time, Indonesia raised the theme "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth" which means ASEAN is relevant and important as a center of world growth. Indonesia aims to strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of ASEAN institutions so that it can answer the challenges for the next 20 years.

Indonesia will oversee the region towards ASEAN 2045 which needs to be more adaptive, responsive, and competitive in a way that is in line with the principles of the ASEAN Charter. As chairman, Indonesia also aims to strengthen economic recovery and make Southeast Asia a sustainable growth engine.