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President Joko Widodo addresses the plenary session of the Special ASEAN-Australia High Level Conference (KTT) at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center, Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, March 6 2024. Photo: BPMI Setpres/Laily Rachev - 

VOInews, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo emphasized the importance of cooperation between ASEAN and Australia in commemorating 50 years of partnership relations when addressing the plenary session of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center, Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, March 6 2024.

President Jokowi said that ASEAN and Australia share a common responsibility to maintain stability, peace and prosperity in the region.

"As the oldest dialogue partner, strategic comprehensive partner and liaison partner with the Pacific Region, ASEAN and Australia share a region where stability, peace and prosperity are our common goals and responsibilities," said the President.

According to a Presidential Secretariate office release on Wednesday (06/03/24), President Jokowi stated that ASEAN is predicted to become a global economic power and rank fourth in the world by 2040. With a population of more than 650 million people, most of whom are young workers with high technological literacy, President Jokowi emphasized the importance of Australia's support to maximize this potential.

Therefore, President Jokowi is encouraging strengthening economic cooperation by strengthening economic integration, one of which is through Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy 2040 to encourage Australian investment in Southeast Asia. The President hopes that Australia can open up investment opportunities from ASEAN to Australia more widely.

"We also need to optimize several collaborations such as the RCEP ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA and AOIP (ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific). "I appreciate PM Albanese's presence at last year's AOIP in Jakarta and I hope that Australia's commitment to AIPF worth USD 28.1 billion can be realized soon," said the President.

Apart from that, the President also highlighted the importance of Australia's investment and support in ASEAN in dealing with climate change as well as cooperation in the digital economy. According to the President, Australia's support is very much needed, especially in the form of investment, easy access to innovative financing, and technology transfer.

"I also encourage Australian business people to support the development of the ASEAN EV ecosystem, such as the Australian nickel company Nickel Industries which has invested in Morowali, Sulawesi. "Indonesia opposes black and discriminatory campaigns that use environmental pretexts that are not based on scientific evidence," said the President.

Regarding digital transformation cooperation, the President appreciated the start of negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement last year. President Jokowi also hopes that Australia can provide support through developing capabilities and knowledge, as well as strong public and private partnerships.

In concluding his speech, Jokowi reminded that ASEAN and Australia share the same future and must be the driving force for creating a stable, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. "ASEAN and Australia are great partners for now and the future," he stressed.

Also accompanying the President in the plenary session of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit were Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, and Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono//(BPMI-VOI)