Jokowi Talks of Invitation for Joe Biden to ASEAN Summit

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Joko Widodo or Jokowi stated that the government is still preparing for the 43rd ASEAN Summit slated to be held in Jakarta on September 5-7, 2023. He did not talk much when asked about the invitation for non-ASEAN leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden.

“Everything has been planned, prepared, and we hope that everything will be 100 percent ready in September,” he said at the ASEAN Secretariat, South Jakarta, Tuesday, August 8, 2023.

He explained that the forthcoming summit under the chairmanship of Indonesia will discuss the conflict in Myanmar. According to him, the ongoing conflict involves complex humanitarian issues.

“The conflict is no longer about one party with the second party, but with the third, fourth, fifth party, so it takes time, and if all the stakeholders in Myanmar are willing or have the same will to solve this problem, it (resolution) will happen. Otherwise, it will be very difficult indeed,” the President argued.

Jokowi stressed that the current global challenges are not easy. The global economy has not fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rivalry is getting sharper. However, he believes that ASEAN is capable of achieving its goals as long as it is united.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH

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