A man throws a duck into the ocean as an offering during Melasti. (JP/Agung Parameswara) (Source: thejakartapost.com) Jakarta (VNA) – President Joko Widodo affirmed his resolve to turn Indonesia into a maritime power in the world while delivering an opening speech at the 2018 Our Ocean Conference (OOC) on October 29.
Indonesia has set forth the Indonesia Maritime Policy and an Action Plan to concretise the strategy, covering the improvement of sea connectivity, the development and upgrading of 477 seaports, he said.
In addition, Jokowi explained, Indonesia promoted global maritime synergy in various occasions, including in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), the United Nations (UN), South Pacific, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other international forums.
In the future, Indonesia will also like to enhance maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. Together with ASEAN, Indonesia is developing the Indo-Pacific cooperation concept by reiterating the habit of dialogue and cooperation on the basis of respect for international law, said the President.
Themed “Our Ocean, Our Legacy,” the two-day OOC brings together seven heads of states, 36 ministers, and many delegates from nations around the world.
The delegates discussed issues related to risks and challenges facing the ocean such as illegal fishing, wastewater drainage polluting the environment, and uncontrolled pirate activities.
It is the first time for an Asian country to host the annual global conference since it was first held in 2014 in Washington DC, the United States. Since 2014, Our Ocean Conference has successfully generated commitments totaling around 18 billion USD and 12.4 million square kilometres of marine protected areas.-VNA
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