Caption: Group Photo Session with ASEAN Leaders, Thursday (11/05/2023), in Labuan Bajo.
JAKARTA, JAKTIMES.COM – Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is scheduled to lead 12 meetings at the 43rd ASEAN Summit, which will take place at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) from September 5th to 7th, 2023.
“President Jokowi will lead 12 meetings from September 5th to 7th, and all of these will be held at the Jakarta Convention Center,” stated the Director-General of ASEAN Cooperation at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sidharto R Suryodipuro, during the Forum Merdeka Barat (FMB) 9 broadcast on the Ministry of Communication and Information’s YouTube channel.
The sequence of meetings includes the 43rd ASEAN Summit in plenary and retreat formats, the 26th ASEAN-China Summit, the 24th ASEAN-South Korea Summit, the 26th ASEAN-Japan Summit, and the 11th ASEAN-United States Summit.
Other meetings include the ASEAN-Canada Summit, the 26th ASEAN Plus Three Summit, the 20th ASEAN-India Summit, the 3rd ASEAN-Australia Summit, the 18th East Asia Summit (EAS), and the 13th ASEAN-United Nations Summit.
“President Jokowi will also lead non-conference activities, such as the opening of the 43rd ASEAN Summit, the opening of the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum: Implementation of the AOIP, gala dinner, social events scheduled for September 7th, as well as the closing ceremony and the handover of ASEAN chairmanship to the next chair, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic,” he said.
Sidharto further explained that the 43rd ASEAN Summit in both plenary and retreat formats will be held on September 5th, 2023. The following day, the ASEAN Summit with partner countries will take place and continue until September 7th, 2023. On September 7th, 2023, the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Plus Three Summit will also be held.
Sidharto added that there will also be bilateral meetings between the attending leaders during the summit.
“The sequence will conclude with a press statement by the President on September 7th,” he said.
Sidharto estimated that 27 heads of state and international organizations will attend the 43rd ASEAN Summit, including leaders of participating East Asia Summit countries, the Pacific Island Forum (PIF), the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and the Executive Directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
In line with Indonesia’s theme for its ASEAN chairmanship in 2023, “ASEAN Matters: Epicenter of Growth,” Sidharto stated that this summit is expected to strengthen the achievements and foundations of ASEAN’s 2045 vision and reinforce ASEAN’s institutional strength, both in terms of more effective and efficient decision-making and organizational substance.
“This is our fourth time leading ASEAN, and we want to lay the groundwork for strategic ASEAN cooperation in the future. To achieve this, Indonesia will strengthen ASEAN’s institutions and various working mechanisms, including how to strengthen ASEAN’s resources,” he said (Wan)
