TEMPO.CO, Badung - President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo, during his opening speech in 2018 Our Ocean Conference (OOC), said a global mental revolution was required to preserve the sea. “And OOC must be the drive of mental revolution to preserve the ocean,” said Jokowi, Monday, Oct 29, in Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center.

President Jokowi said Indonesia endeavored to become the world’s maritime power. “We have many programs, constructing sea toll, strengthening air force, reducing 70 percent of sea trash by 2025, and 20 million hectares for sea conservation in 2018, two years earlier than the target,” Jokowi mentioned.

In addition, Jokowi explained, Indonesia promoted global maritime synergy in various occasions, including in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the United Nations (UN). “In the future, Indonesia plans to be a driving force in the ocean partnership of Indo-Pacific region,” he added.

Therefore, all participants of OCC must make a commitment and strategy that have real impacts on the ocean.

“I realize that our nation is a maritime nation. I realize that our water area is greater than the land area. We all realize that the water area in the earth is greater than the lands. We all realize that the ocean is our future. Our ocean, our future,” Jokowi remarked.

However, on the other hand, the world faced many sea challenges, such as illegal fishing, piracy, human trafficking, territorial sea claim, and sea pollution among others.

Jokowi asserted no country could deal with those issues alone. “It requires partnership from all countries. We need global partnership to achieve the sustainable development globally,” he said.

AMRI MAHBUB