Indonesian foreign minister to attend ASEAM

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi will soon leave for Myanmar to attend the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), scheduled to take place from Nov 20-21, 2017, in Naypyidaw.

ASEM is the only mechanism for inclusive cooperation between Asian and European ministers, Arrmanatha Nasir, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said during a press briefing here, Friday.

ASEM is made up of 21 Asian countries and 30 European countries. They account for 57 percent of the total global gross domestic product and 66 percent of the global trade.

The meeting, which is themed on strengthening cooperation for the benefit of global peace and security, will discuss steps that the ASEM member states will take to create more concrete cooperation in the economic field and enhance people-to-people contact.

In addition to this, it will also discuss actual issues in the region, particularly in the political and security fields.

Hendra Halim of the Directorate of America and Europe at the Foreign Ministry said Indonesia would raise several issues at the 13th ASEM, including connectivity, maritime cooperation, education and entrepreneurship.

Indonesia will also invite those who have influence in the social media in Asia and Europe to promote the country`s economic potential, tourism, as well as its social and cultural life.

The meeting will produce a joint communique which will contain ASEM`s future steps in the political, economic, social and cultural fields

Source: ANTARA