NAM Summit, President Jokowi Calls for Mid-pandemic Debt Relief

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has called for the enhancement of a global cooperative for developing nations at the virtual Non-Aligned Movement or NAM summit on Monday evening, with debt relief as one of the options offered. 

“We need to be vocal and fight for the commitment to assisting development and humanity, debt reliefs, and even the debt repayment obligations to official creditors that can be transferred to fund and handle [programs related to] COVID-19,” said Jokowi from the Bogor Presidential Palace.

He implied that the commitment of G-20 nations to relieve the debts of low-income countries needs to be implemented. 

Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi also echoed the sentiment and encouraged for under-developed to receive COVID-19 debt swaps from official creditors. “It is highly important to raise this issue as there are many developed nations, mainly underdeveloped nations, that are facing difficulties in handling the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. 

Nearing the end of his speech, President Jokowi asserts that multilateralism must remain as the grounds to conduct international partnerships. “In the future, developed countries must improve global health governance to prepare for future pandemics,” he said. 

Jokowi was accompanied by Minister Retno and Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto in attending the virtual NAM Summit. 

EGI ADYATAMA