Jokowi Says No Change in Planned Visit to Afghanistan

Palembang, South Sumatra, MINA – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has said that he had no intention of changing his planned visit to Afghanistan despite security problem in the conflict-torn country.

“We already have plan to visit there,” Antara News quoted reported Jokowi as saying in the Jakabaring Sports City in this South Sumatra capital on Monday.

The president said he wants to see the real condition in Kabul and Afghanistan in general.

The president will hold state visit to Afghanistan toward the end of this month on request to help create peace in that country long stricken by civil war.

“The planned visit is to honor an Afghan request for Indonesian involvement in peace building in that country,” Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said here earlier.

Retno said there are a number of meetings supported by Indonesia to create peace in Afghanistan, adding Indonesia pledged aid such as training, exchange of ulema leaders to and women`s empowerment.

“Afghan First Lady, therefore, visited the country to discuss women empowerment for peace for economic empowerment, etc,” she said.

The Indonesian government has built a mosque named As-Salam at the Indonesian Islamic Center (ICC) in Kabul.

The visit to Afghanistan will be part of state visits to five Asian countries also including Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Jokowi will also attend the ASEAN-India summit meeting in New Delhi to discuss maritime affairs and international and regional issues. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)