Jakarta, 5 September 2023 – President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko “Jokowi” Widodo stated that the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum will transform rivalry in the Indo-Pacific region into mutually beneficial cooperation. Consequently, this region can establish cooperation based on mutual benefit.
The ASEAN and Indo-Pacific regions have a combined population of 680 million people, which gives them significant strength. This is a potential market with promising investment opportunities.
"Our region is not immune to various global challenges and deepening geopolitical rivalries, particularly the potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific," President Jokowi said while opening the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum at the Mulia Hotel in Jakarta on Tuesday, 5 September 2023.
This forum prioritizes three main agendas. First, green infrastructure and resilient supply chains. Industrial downstreaming and the development of electric vehicle ecosystems serve as concrete examples of building regional supply chains. The implementation of this agenda will strengthen the ASEAN economy in the future.
Second, agenda related to sustainable and innovative financing, as the ASEAN energy transition requires US$29.4 trillion. Therefore, innovative financing schemes through mutually beneficial and sustainable partnerships are needed.
Third, digital transformation and creative economy. This is included in the agenda because ASEAN's digital economy is predicted to grow to US$1 trillion by 2030. Thus, the adoption of digital innovation needs to be strengthened to support the creative economy and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
With these three agendas, President Jokowi continued, it is hoped that a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region will be established.
So far, from contributions by ASEAN countries and ASEAN partners 93 cooperation projects worth US$38.2 billion have been recorded. Additionally, there are 73 potential projects worth US$17.8 billion.
"May our efforts be able to provide great benefits for the people of the region and the world," said Jokowi.
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Photo caption: President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (fifth from the left) along with (from left to right) Philippine’s President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Head of the Thai Delegation Sarun Charoensuwan, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Laotian Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and East Timor Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao posing together during the opening of the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Forum (AIPF) in Jakarta on Tuesday (5 September 2023). Media Center KTT ASEAN 2023/Risa Krisadhi/pras.