VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOI News : Indonesia expressed concern related to European Union policies that could block partnerships with ASEAN, including regarding palm oil and the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).  Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi at the 24th European Union ASEAN Ministerial Meeting conveyed that ASEAN and the European Union must be partners for prosperity. 

In a statement received in Jakarta on Saturday (3/2),  she conveyed all the data that shows the European Union is one of ASEAN's important partners and vice-versa, with the economic character of the two regions being different and complementive each other.

“I affirmed that ASEAN also cares about environmental sustainability and the approach taken must be mutually helpful, but not punishing.  I emphasized that the “one-size fits all” standard cannot be applied. If the goal is to strengthen cooperation, then the only choice is one, namely working together, helping each other, and avoiding sustainability issues being used as a means of protection in trade,” Minister Retno said.

Moreover, Minister Retno also pointed out the importance of ASEAN and the European Union to become partners for peace and stability. According to Minister Retno, the current world condition is full of conflict so that she emphasized the importance of consistently respecting international principles, values and laws.  

Minister Retno also expressed her appreciation for the European Union's support for the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) which reflects a shared commitment to maintaining stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific. (VOI-Ndy-Mar- AF)

VOI News : Indonesia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are committed to continuing to be major contributors in creating and maintaining peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.  This was pointed out by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi when speaking in Roundtable I session on the 3rd Indo-Pacific European Union Ministerial Forum in Brussels, Belgium.

In a statement received in Jakarta on Saturday (3/2), she also explained that ASEAN has already had a concept, namely the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), and ASEAN also started implementing it during Indonesia's chairmanship of ASEAN last year.

“I also affirmed that ASEAN opens the door to partner with all parties, including the European Union. And, I explained the cooperation priorities that ASEAN wants according to the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, namely connectivity, infrastructure, achieving SDGs, trade and investment,” Minister Retno explained.

Furthermore, Minister Retno Marsudi at the Roundtable meeting explained the importance of respect for international law and multilateralism. She also remarked that ASEAN and the European Union were partners in maintaining continued respect for international law. 

Minister Retno perceived that consistency in implementing respect for international law must be applied to all issues, such as Ukraine and Palestine. (VOI-Ndy-Mar- AF)

VOI News : Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi attended the 3rd Indo-Pacific European Union Ministerial Forum meeting in Brussels, Belgium. In her speech, she highlighted the challenges facing the world from year to year, which are getting bigger starting from the war in Ukraine, the situation in Gaza, ongoing great power rivalry to capacity gaps among countries that hinder the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

She also affirmed the importance of the forum to strengthen collaboration, cooperation and partnerships to advance prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Minister Retno remarked that Indonesia had made these efforts in its ASEAN Chair last year, including through holding the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Forum (AIPF) and strengthening relations with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), and the Association of Indian Ocean Rim Countries (IORA).

“ We don't want to see the Indo-Pacific region become a field of rivalry. What we want is the Indo-Pacific as a growth center,” Minister Retno conveyed.

On that occasion, Minister Retno further affirmed that cooperation in the Indo-Pacific must be inclusive, concrete, and adhere firmly to international law and collaboration paradigms.  These principles are contained in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) as a guide of ASEAN in navigating dynamics in the region and interacting with its partners from outside the region. 

She perceived that the European Union as a partner of Indonesia and ASEAN plays an important role in realizing a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. (VOI-Ndy-Mar- AF)

Diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Morocco hold abundant historical romantic values. A number of facts regarding bilateral relations between the two friendly countries are always fascinating. The Indonesian Ambassador to Morocco, Hasrul Azwar, in the special interview which was broadcast on the Voice of Indonesia YouTube channel on Monday (29/01) conveyed a number of important notes that underlie the friendship between the two countries.

Firstly, Ambassador Hasrul Azwar said, long before the inauguration of diplomatic relations, Indonesia was known by Moroccan people since 1346 AD through the expedition of the great Moroccan explorer named Ibnu Battuta (d. 1369 AD). The prominent sailor wrote in his book entitled Rehla Ibnu Battuta's, about his historic journey from Morocco to Egypt, Syria, India, China until he landed in Aceh. In which Battuta described the existence of an Islamic Kingdom, namely Samudera Pasai, which worshiped the Almighty Allah. Today, we can find the tomb of famous Muslim sailors located in the city of Tangier, a seaside city across Spain. So, it can be concluded that Moroccans were the first to visit Indonesia at that time.

Secondly, Hasrul Azwar continued that President Soekarno enjoyed a noble position in the eyes of the Moroccan people. Sukarno is considered a world revolutionary figure who was able to gather the forces of Asia and Africa to stand up against colonialism, culminating in the Asian-African Conference (KAA) in 1955 in Bandung. A year later, on March 2, 1956, Morocco successfully gained its independence from France. President Soekarno welcomed Morocco's independence by paying a state visit to this North African country. His visit marks the first foreign head of state to come to the newly independent Morocco. The King of Morocco memorialized this historical visit by naming one of the main streets in the city of Rabat after the first President of Indonesia, namely Syari' al-Rais Ahmed Soekarno, now Rue Soekarno. In addition, Morocco also eternalizes its friendships to Indonesia through the naming of other streets after Indonesia, Jakarta and Bandung.

Thirdly, Hasrul Azwar added, the friendship between Indonesia and Morocco is also clearly visible in consular policies between the two countries. King Mohammed V presented a special complement for Soekarno's visit in the form of visa exemptions for Indonesian citizens visiting Morocco. Amazingly, this privilege is still valid today. It is known that Indonesian citizens can visit Morocco without a visa for a period of three months or 90 days.

Fourthly, according to Hasrul Azwar, bilateral relations between Indonesia and Morocco are supported by several nodes of cultural ties and international cooperation. Apart from the majority of people in both countries being Muslim, Indonesian and Moroccan Muslims are also adherents of Ahlussunnah wal Jama'ah (Sunni Muslims). Both Indonesia and Morocco are members of the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and both countries are active in the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), a UNESCO-like organization initiated by Islamic countries.

Fifthly, Indonesia and Morocco have raised the status of bilateral relations to strategic partnership since December 2023. Ambassador Hasrul Azwar further explained that Indonesia's strategic position as one of the founders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is deemed significant in Morocco’s perspective. Since ASEAN's chairmanship in 2023, Indonesia fully supports Morocco as an ASEAN dialogue partner, on the other hand, Morocco has become an important hub for Indonesian products in efforts to penetrate African and European markets.