by Dames Alexander Sinaga
JAKARTA, Jan 13 (NNN-XINHUA) – Indonesia has already begun its preparation for hosting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, which will take place in the country’s eastern province of East Nusa Tenggara in May, with the theme of “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth.”
As Southeast Asia’s largest economy, Indonesia has taken over the chairmanship of the regional bloc for 2023 from Cambodia, where the ASEAN Summit was held last Nov. The country formally commenced its ASEAN chairmanship, on the first day of this year.
The last time Indonesia chaired ASEAN was in 2011.
Other ASEAN members had high expectations for Indonesia’s chairmanship, since the archipelagic country managed to host the world’s influential Group of 20 Summit last year, amid global challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, that have led to an enduring global food and energy crisis.
After completing the G20 presidency on the island of Bali, one of the world’s best tourist destinations, in Oct, 2022, Indonesia has chosen its other tourist destination of Labuan Bajo, in East Nusa Tenggara province, as the location for the ASEAN summit.
Labuan Bajo, the gateway to the popular Komodo National Park, is one of the “10 New Bali” choices, a government-designated priority destinations spanning across the archipelago.
In past years, Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, said, developments on Labuan Bajo must be accelerated, as the tourism destination will host international events in the years to come.
Last week, Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, was in Labuan Bajo for a three-day-visit, as a part of her tour to inspect its readiness to host the bloc’s biannual summit. She reportedly visited some facilities, such as hotels, convention centres and tourist spots that will be used.
At the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia last year, the leaders of the group agreed “in principle” to admit Timor-Leste as their 11th member.
Minister Marsudi said on Wednesday that, Indonesia, as the ASEAN chair this year, is aiming to make the bloc strong and become a barometer of cooperation, that can contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world.
With the theme “ASEAN Matters,” Indonesia is determined to make the group remain important and relevant to the people, both within and outside ASEAN.– NNN-XINHUA
