President Jokowi: “Bogor Goals” Relevant for APEC’s Post-2020 Vision

Bogor, MINA – President Joko Widodo said that the Covid-19 pandemic has become a momentum as well as providing lessons for members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to work together to rebuild the commitment to economic togetherness that has been woven since 26 years ago.

“I am currently in Bogor, the birthplace of the Bogor Goals 26 years ago. I re-read the Bogor Goals and found various major breakthroughs that are still very relevant, ”said the President during a speech at the 2020 APEC Summit via video conference from the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java.

The President added the Bogor Goals were a framework for APEC’s cooperation for the last 26 years agreed upon during Indonesia’s chairmanship at APEC 1994 which emphasized the importance of strengthening the open market system and multilateralism by acknowledging the differences in conditions between developed and developing economies and the thick spirit of mutual help, cooperation to achieve a mutually beneficial economic order. It is felt that this is still very relevant to the needs of countries today.

According to the President, the foundation of togetherness which was built in 1994, is now tending to weaken. It is known that for two consecutive years the APEC Summit has not been able to reach an agreement. However, he believes that at this meeting the leaders of APEC will send a positive message to the world.

“Now is the time for us to rebuild a commitment as strong as 1994 to knit our post-2020 vision,” said the President.

The economies of APEC members are currently facing difficult conditions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. APEC’s gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 2.7 percent, while 74 million residents of APEC’s member economies lost their livelihoods.

Currently, there is no other option for APEC member economies to continue to work together as agreed in Bogor City 26 years ago. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)