Indonesia Ready to Hold AIS Ministerial Meeting

Jakarta, MINA — The government of Indonesia has expressed readiness to hold the 3rd Ministerial Meeting of the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) on Nov 1 and 2, 2018, in Manado, North Sulawes, Antara News reported.

The meeting will be preceded by the 3rd Senior Official Meeting (SOM) AIS on Oct 31, 2018.

“In the senior official meeting, the document will be finalized to be adopted at the ministerial meeting,” Assistant Deputy for Navigation and Maritime Safety Odo Manuhutu stated here on Thursday.

He remarked that the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan is scheduled to attend and open the ministerial meeting, which is facilitated by the North Sulawesi Provincial Government.

“We are also trying to ask President Joko Widodo to attend the 3rd ministerial meeting. But we are still waiting for his confirmation,” he noted.

The forum, he continued, was a collaboration between the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The 3rd AIS Ministerial Meeting in Manado invited 46 archipelagic and island countries in the Asian and African regions.

About 20 archipelagic and island states will attend the forum, he remarked.

“About seven ministers of AIS participants are scheduled to participate in the meeting. The number will increase because we are still waiting for confirmations from other ministers,” he explained.

The forum is expected to produce innovative and smart solutions in overcoming the real problems faced by the archipelagic and island states.

“It will also examine climate mitigation and adaptation measures, marine plastic debris, sustainable blue economy, and good maritime governance,” he pointed out.  (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)