Jokowi Discusses the Image of Islam with Nigerien President

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) accepted the inaugural visit from Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou today at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. 

“[This marks] the inaugural presidential visit from the Nigerien President to Indonesia after we established our diplomatic relationship six years ago,” said Jokowi at the Presidential Palace today.

According to President Jokowi, there were many global issues discussed with President Mahamadou Issoufou. One of them is the fact that both countries have Muslim majority populations. 

President Jokowi called on Indonesia and Niger to work hand-in-hand to promote peaceful Islam to improve the image of the religion at the global scale. According to the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry, a partnership on the eradication of radical Islamist groups was also discussed in the meeting between the two heads of states. 

“The visitation of President Mahamadou Issoufou is important. I asserted that Africa is one of Indonesia’s prioritized foreign policy,” said President Jokowi.

Both leaders also discussed the possibility of increasing the number of economic partnerships in the infrastructure, strategic industries, energy, trade and human resources sectors. The two presidents agreed to lower the tariff and non-tariff barriers considering that Niger is a member of the Economic Community of West African States.

ISTMAN MP