42nd ASEAN Summit: Indonesian President emphasises government-business cooperation
Labuan Bajo (VNA) – President Joko Widodo of Indonesia - Chair of ASEAN 2023 on May 10 affirmed that collaboration,
cooperation, and synergy are important in the relations between the government
and the business community.
Addressing a dialogue between leaders of ASEAN countries
and representatives of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) – an activity
within the framework of the 42nd ASEAN Summit that is taking place in Labuan
Bajo, Indonesia from May 9-11, President Widodo said in the coming
time, ASEAN will still face heavy challenges while geopolitical risks are still
large.
In that situation, he said that countries in the region need
to strengthen collaboration to maintain ASEAN as the epicentre of growth. ASEAN
has enormous potential to become the centre of economic growth.
The economic potential of the region is very large, an
economy that grows above the world average, a demographic bonus, then a middle
class that continues to increase by 65% by 2030, he explained.
The President called for increased cooperation
between the government and the business community in the region to develop a
common agenda to ensure that Southeast Asia remains the global centre of economic
growth.
Chairing ASEAN this year, Indonesia is hosting the 42nd
ASEAN Summit which features plenary sessions and retreats, along with dialogues
between leaders of ASEAN countries and representatives of the ASEAN
Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), the ASEAN Business Advisory Council
(ABAC), and the High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision./.