Global Courant 2023-05-02 15:05:00
JAKARTA – Asean Chairman Indonesia will outline a vision statement for 2045 to strengthen the group’s ability to work together and bolster its international relevance at the Asean summit next week.
“Indonesia has established a grand vision for Asean 2045, as well as a process of discussion on the draft statement by Asean leaders, to strengthen Asean’s institutional capacity and effectiveness,” the Asean Summit team said Monday.
In 2015, the group’s leaders agreed on a roadmap for the bloc, Asean 2025: Forging Ahead Together, to work together to jointly raise the profile of the region and ensure the prosperity of each member state. A high-level task force of the group is currently discussing the extension of this plan, which will clarify how ASEAN can continue its work beyond 2025 and achieve its goals for the next 20 years.
Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said ASEAN leaders are expected to adopt the vision that Indonesia will put forward at the 42nd ASEAN Summit.
The summit will be held May 9-11 in Labuan Bajo, a town on the western tip of Flores Island.
Topics expected to be discussed at the high-level summit next week include the crisis in Myanmar, the development of a roadmap for full Asean membership for East Timor and the negotiations on the code of conduct in the South China Sea .
Indonesia also said that human trafficking will be one of the main topics discussed at the meetings amid growing concerns in ASEAN countries over the rising number of cases in the region.
“The law enforcement capacity of ASEAN member states needs to be strengthened in conducting investigations, gathering evidence, identifying victims and prosecuting. There is also a need for closer cooperation for the prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration of victims,” said the host of the ASEAN summit.
ASEAN leaders will attend eight meetings next week in plenary and retreat format, seven of which will be chaired by Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
The summit will be accompanied by fringe events known as “popular festivities”, including street carnivals, culinary bazaars, fashion shows and cultural performances, in an effort to increase Flores’ visibility as a tourist destination.
“The side events are to actively engage the local community, one of them is through the support of the creative ecosystem, or micro, small and medium enterprises in Labuan Bajo,” said Ms. Shana Fatina, Director of the Implementation Office for the Labuan Bajo Authority Flores.
In an interview with The Straits Times in March, Widodo said his government wants to promote Labuan Bajo as a top priority travel destination.
Specially for the heads of the ASEAN member states, there are official shirts made of woven fabric with the mata manuk (chicken’s eye) motif of the regency of West Manggarai, where Flores is located.
Mr. Widodo chose the colors for each of the shirts these leaders would wear.
Spouses of the Heads of State will also receive a scarf in designs and colors selected by First Lady Iriana.
