VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) arrived at the Kualanamu International Airport, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, on Friday morning, after embarking on a five-day visit to the African continent.

Upon his arrival, the head of state was welcomed by North Sumatra Governor Edy Rahmayadi, Bukit Barisan Regional Military Commander Major General Danier Chardin, and Chief of North Sumatra Police Inspector General Agung Setya Imam, according to the Presidential Secretariat's Press Bureau on Friday.

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, and Secretary of Cabinet Pramono Anung accompanied the president during his flight from Africa.

The president made the most of his visit to attend the 15th summit event of BRICS, an alliance comprising five developing countries, in South Africa, where he delivered a speech to emphasize the importance of all parties to consistently respect international law and human rights.

In front of four leaders of the five BRICS countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, President Jokowi also underscored that the current global economic order is highly unfair, adding that such a situation cannot be left unaddressed.

"We must continue to advocate for equal and inclusive cooperation. BRICS can be at the forefront of fighting for just development and reforming world governance to be fairer," he remarked at the summit.

Apart from attending BRICS as an invitee, the head of state also made the most of his stay in Africa to hold bilateral meetings with leaders of several African countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique.

Earlier, the president and his entourage took off from the O. R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday (August 24) at 2:35 p.m. South African time, or 7:35 p.m. Western Indonesia Standard Time (WIB)

In North Sumatra, President Jokowi is scheduled to visit Binjai City to directly greet and distribute aid to merchants before inaugurating installation of the Drinking Water Supply System (SPAM) in the Medan-Binjai-Deli Serdang region as well as the Aek Tano Ponggol Bridge. (Antaranews)