Jokowi to Open Afghanistan-Indonesia-Pakistan Ulema Conference  

TEMPO.CO, Bogor - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi is scheduled to open the high-level trilateral meeting of ulema (Islamic Scholars) from Afghanistan, Indonesia, and Pakistan in Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Thursday, May 11. The meeting is the first to take place for the three countries to discuss the peace for Afghanistan.

Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi explained the theme of the conference is 'Islam Rahmatan Lil Alamin, Peace and Stability in Afghanistan'. “The Ulema will discuss their role in disseminating peace and solidarity in Afghanistan,” said Minister Retno on Thursday, May 10.

Read: Jokowi to Open Muslim Scholars Summit in Bogor

The topics to be discussed are peace and solidarity in Islam, extremism and tolerance, and the country’s role as well as the next step to bring peace to Afghanistan.

The meeting is a follow-up event of the official visit of President Jokowi to Afghanistan and Pakistan at the beginning of this year. During the visit, President Jokowi met Afghani President Ashraf Ghani and Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Abbasi and made an offer to hold a trilateral conference in Indonesia.

The high-level trilateral meeting of Afghanistan-Indonesia-Pakistan will be closed by Vice President Jusuf Kalla. In the second Kabul Peace Process conference in Afghanistan, last February, Jusuf Kalla appealed all ulema attending the meeting to deliver a peaceful solution for Afghanistan.

AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI