Jokowi Hopes for Immediate Implementation of Indonesia-Afghanistan Agreements

President Jokowi shakes hands with Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani at the Presidential Palace. — Presidential Secretariat Press Bureau photo.

Jakarta, 09 Rjab 1438/06 April 1438 (MINA) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo, better known by his nickname Jokowi, expressed hope that the agreements signed with Afghanistan could be immediately implemented.

“I hope the five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) could be immediately implemented,” Antara News quoted Jokowi as saying in a joint statement with visiting President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani at Merdeka Palace here on Wednesday.

The five MoUs signed by the two leaders covered education, agriculture, statistics, public administrative reforms, and fiscal policy.

While receiving the Afghan president at the palace, Jokowi stated that it was an honor for Indonesia to receive the Afghan president and his delegation.

“The state visit was the first by the president of Afghanistan. Afghanistan is also the first country that recognized the Indonesian sovereignty and played a role in making the Asia-Africa Conference (in Indonesia) in 1955 successful,” he noted.

He stated that the two countries have had friendly relations for more than 62 years.

Reconciliaton efforts and capacity building

“In the bilateral meeting just now, we discussed peace issue. Indonesia lauded Afghanistan for its efforts to create stability and stressed that it was ready to share its experience for reconciliation efforts,” he revealed.

Jokowi noted that Indonesia had built an Indonesia Islamic Center in Kabul and provided educational facilities, as well as build Assalam Mosque that can accommodate 2.5 thousand members.

Indonesia is currently finishing the development of education and health facilities in that country.

In the field of capacity building, Indonesia has also provided training in policing and government administration.

“In the future, the cooperation will be expanded to cover law and higher education,” he reiterated.

Jokowi also mentioned trade as among the field of cooperation in addition to other potentials to boost direct interaction between the businessmen of the two countries.

“We also support a business meeting between the two countries scheduled on April 6, 2017,” he asserted.

Jokowi also expressed support for the cooperation between the two countries General Election Commissions through exchange of experiences in view of the countrys experience in holding peaceful elections so far. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)