K

ing Mohammed VI of Morocco will make a historic visit to Bali in December to deliver a keynote address at the 10th Bali Democracy Forum (BDF).

Confirmation of the King’s participation at the annual democracy meeting was delivered by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita to Deputy Foreign Minister AM Fachir during a meeting in Rabat on Friday.

Fachir, who delivered the official invitation from President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, said the visit would be very important as it would be the first visit by a leader of the North African country to Indonesia since both countries established diplomatic relations in April 1960.

“Despite being separated by a long distance, Indonesia and Morocco continue to maintain a strong bond,” he said in a statement.

Based on Trade Ministry data, the economic partnership between the two sides suffered a substantial decrease after peaking in 2012 at US$227 million.

The figure declined to $186 million in 2013 before picking up again in 2014 to $222 million. It then decreased slightly to $214 million in 2015 before dropping to $157 million in 2016.

To promote friendship between both countries, Indonesia named a stretch of road in South Jakarta lined by shopping malls and business offices as Jl. Casablanca, after Morocco’s largest city.

During Friday’s meeting, Fachir underlined the importance of discussing a Preferential Trade Agreement to boost trade relations, with the import duties of both countries identified as the main challenge to strengthening economic cooperation.

He also said that King Mohammed VI’s visit for the BDF would emphasize that Muslim countries could share best practices with other countries on how to manage democracy based on Islamic values.

“Indonesia invited Morocco because it is a country that demonstrates the harmony between Islam and democracy,” said Fachir.

The 10th Bali Democracy Forum, scheduled to run from Dec. 7-8, will bear the theme “Does Democracy Deliver?” and will explore how the practice of democracy impacts society, in terms of managing diversity, security, equity and social justice.

Cecep Herawan, the Foreign Ministry’s director general for information and public diplomacy said the theme was chosen because there was an ongoing debate about the relevance of democracy to modern society and how it could contribute to a country’s development.

He said there were concerns about whether democratic systems could deliver in terms of managing diversity, security, equity and social justice. At the same time, there were many examples of countries that had been successful in implementing development models that created stability and lowered poverty rates.

“That’s why the countries’ representatives will meet to discuss how democracy can support development, stability and peace,” Cecep continued.

The forum is also expected to raise discussions about democracy among the youth with the ministry having also scheduled the Bali Democracy Students Conference (BDSC) as a side event.

Under the theme, “From Campus for Democracy,” 115 university students from across Indonesia and around the world will discuss the role of students in the democratic process.

“They will also explore expectations about the benefits of democracy from student or youth perspectives,” he said.

Jokowi is scheduled to attend the forum with country leaders at the opening session of the BDF, however Cecep could not reveal, other than Morocco, which other leaders were set to attend the forum.

Since its inception in 2008, an average of 45 countries have participated in the BDF every year.