CANBERRA - President Joko Widodo said that his visit to Australia has marked a new era in the Indonesia-Australia bilateral relationship after the ratification of the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA).
"This means that in the next five years our bilateral cooperation will be better directed," said Mr Widodo in a joint press statement after a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison at Parliament House in Canberra, Monday (10/2).
"Going forward, comprehensive economic relations between Indonesia and Australia will improve further and the benefits must be felt by citizens of both countries."
Indonesia, said Mr Widodo, is encouraging the implementation of IA-CEPA in the first 100 days since its ratification through, among others, an Indonesia Business Week event held in Indonesia and led by Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham, visits by Australian private investors to Indonesia, and collaboration in education.
"Prime Minister Scott Morrison also brought up the plan to open a Monash University campus in Indonesia," said Mr Widodo. Monash University, one of Australia's most prestigious universities, is located in Melbourne with an overseas campus in Subang Jaya, Malaysia.
In addition, through IA-CEPA Mr Widodo also hopes that partnership with Australia in the Indo-Pacific context can be increased with a focus on infrastructure and education as well as environmental issues such as ocean preservation and climate change.
On his visit to Australia Mr Widodo is accompanied by, among others, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto; Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud M.D.; Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi; Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi; and Trade Minister Agus Suparmanto. (MS)