TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) sought strengthening forestry partnership between Indonesia and Brazil at a bilateral meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held alongside the G7 Summit, Rihga Royal Hotel, Hiroshima, Japan, Saturday.

Forestry-related issues have become the topic of priority of the two leaders, as Indonesia and Brazil are among the countries, with the largest area of tropical forests in the world.

Bearing that in mind, President Jokowi laid emphasis on the importance of solidarity between forest countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"More than 30 percent of tropical forests (of the world) are located in Indonesia-Brazil and the Democratic Republic of the Congo," the president noted in a press statement received in Jakarta, Saturday.

At the meeting, President Jokowi and President Lula discussed cooperation in handling climate change, and both heads of states affirmed their commitment to addressing the issue.

The two leaders also came to an agreement to push developed countries to realize their commitments to providing funds for tackling issues related to climate change.

Furthermore, both presidents were confident that the cooperation between their countries would enter a new level in future. Jokowi and Lula have agreed to bolster cooperation in the development of farming and meat procurement for Indonesia.

During their conversation, President Lula implied an invitation to President Jokowi to conduct a state visit to the South American country.

"I am truly looking forward to receiving President Widodo in Brazil, and we can discuss many more (areas for) potential cooperation between the two big developing countries, akin to Indonesia and Brazil," President Lula affirmed.

At the bilateral meeting, President Jokowi was accompanied by several ministers: Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, and State-owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir.

Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung and East Asia Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Santo Darmosumarto were also in attendance.

ANTARA

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