Jakarta- A bilateral meeting between President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit took place in Jakarta on September 7, 2023.
During the meeting, Jokowi expressed his gratitude for Australia’s support for Indonesia’s sovereignty principles in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Forum.
The MSG is a regional organization consisting of countries in the Melanesian region, which includes several Pacific island nations.
Jokowi also expressed his hope that Australia would provide the same support at the Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) summit scheduled to take place in November.
The IAF is a forum for cooperation between Indonesia and countries on the African continent.
Furthermore, Jokowi recognized Australia’s role as an engine to ensure the IAF remains focused on strengthening regional cooperation, including with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
He also hoped Australia could act as a bridge to strengthen collaboration between ASEAN and the IAF.
This shows efforts to enhance regional cooperation and relations between Indonesia, Australia, ASEAN, and countries in Africa through the IAF.
This meeting reflects the importance of diplomacy and regional cooperation in maintaining stability and promoting cooperation among ASEAN member states and regional partners such as Australia.
