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Jokowi urges ASEAN, US to combat illegal fishing
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Warm greeting – US President Barack Obama (second left) and President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo shake hand prior to a photo session on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, on Thursday. (Courtesy of the Presidential Office/Laily Rachev)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has called on ASEAN member countries and the US to step up measures to fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The eradication of IUU fishing was one of the main issues raised by President Jokowi during the ASEAN-US Summit at the National Convention Center, Vientiane, Laos, on Thursday. US President Barack Obama and ASEAN heads of state and government attended the meeting.
In the summit, Jokowi stressed the urgency for all countries to combat IUU fishing, which had not only threatened security and environmental sustainability, but also damaged people’s prosperity. Indonesia suffered US$20 billion in financial losses per year because of this crime, he added.
"The cooperation over IUU fishing should continue to be put forward, particularly in capacity building and exchange of information" Jokowi said.
Jokowi also took an opportunity in the meeting to bid farewell to Obama, given the summit would be his last meeting with ASEAN leaders.
The US is scheduled to hold a presidential election on Nov. 8, with Hillary Clinton becoming the Democratic Party's presidential nominee and businessman and reality television personality Donald Trump as the Republican Party's presidential nominee.
"I am sure that whatever President Obama takes part in, he will always promote the importance of cooperation between ASEAN and the US," Jokowi said.
The President also invited Obama to visit his old friends in Jakarta. The US president spent four years of his childhood in the Indonesian capital. (ebf)
