5-9-2023 (JAKARTA) President Joko Widodo, commonly known as Jokowi, engaged in crucial discussions on Monday as he welcomed President Ajay Banga of the World Bank and Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to Jakarta, in preparation for the upcoming 43rd ASEAN Summit.
Banga arrived at the Merdeka Palace punctually at 2:15 p.m. (7:15 a.m. GMT), attired in formal attire. Georgieva, on the other hand, appeared half an hour later, dressed in traditional batik clothing. Jokowi held separate meetings with both dignitaries within the confines of the palace.
In his meeting with the World Bank’s President, Jokowi was accompanied by State Secretary Minister Pratikno, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pahala Mansury.
Simultaneously, during the President’s discussions with IMF’s Georgieva, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi joined Mulyani and Pratikno.
In addition to these meetings, Jokowi’s agenda includes a rendezvous with Klaus Schwab, Chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF). The President is slated to partake in a series of bilateral meetings with various heads of state leading up to and during the 43rd ASEAN Summit, which is scheduled to occur from September 5th to 7th in Jakarta. Indonesia, currently chairing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is diligently striving to uphold the bloc’s significance on the global stage. This entails preparing ASEAN to confront forthcoming challenges while safeguarding regional stability and peace.
Indonesia’s chairmanship theme, “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth,” underscores its commitment to bolster tangible cooperation agreements among ASEAN member states and ensure their effective implementation. The aim is to position the Southeast Asian region as a hub for economic, political, and socio-cultural development.
The 43rd ASEAN Summit marks the second summit held this year, following the 42nd summit that convened in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, in May, during which the leaders of the bloc issued several critical declarations.
