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Jokowi secures US$20.5 billion in deals from EU visit
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Flanked by Cabinet members, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (center) holds a press conference on Saturday at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, after returning from a five-day EU visit. The President spoke to journalists about achievements from the tour. (State Secretariat/Rusman)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has arrived back in Jakarta after a five-day working visit to Germany, Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Jokowi and his entourage arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport at 4:45 p.m. after traveling for nearly 17 hours from Schiphol International Airport in the Netherlands, including a transit stop in Abu Dhabi.
At the airport, Jokowi was welcomed by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli, State Secretary Pratikno, Presidential chief of staff Teten Masduki, Indonesian Military chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti and Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Purnama Tjahaja.
During a press conference, Jokowi cited two things gained from the working visit. First, he mentioned strengthening economic ties with the countries he visited.
"The total business-to-business deals I signed were worth US$20.5 billion," Jokowi said in a statement on Saturday night.
He also highlighted commitments to focus on a particular sector in each country he visited. In Germany, he signed a commitment to training and vocational education to enhance Indonesian workers’ skills in a competitive market. To follow up on the commitment, a German delegation will visit Indonesia in May.
In the UK, cooperation will focus on the creative economy and creative industries, which will be followed up by the Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf).
While in Belgium, Indonesia, and the EU held a discussion on scoping papers for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA), which had been halted for years. The scoping papers will form the basis of negotiations on the CEPA.
"We very much appreciate the acceleration of the scoping paper discussion and hope to continue the negotiations immediately," he added.
In the Netherlands, cooperation will focus on enhancing maritime cooperation and water management. Jokowi said the Dutch prime minister would visit Indonesia in November with a business delegation.
Further, he said, the four countries appreciated Indonesia’s role in promoting peace through a moderate interpretation of Islam, democracy, and tolerance.
"Today, the Indonesian Islamic values of peace, democracy, moderation and tolerance are in the eyes of the world," Jokowi said. (dan)
