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Indonesia calls for stronger global cooperation on refugee crisis
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo (left) talks to Vice President Jusuf Kalla before a Cabinet meeting in Jakarta on July 19. (Antara Foto/yudhi mahatma)
I
nternational cooperation based on the principles of burden-sharing and shared responsibility are key factors in addressing the migration issue, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Monday during the first ever summit on Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants at the UN General Assembly in New York.
"Burden-sharing and shared responsibility do not necessarily mean an evenly distributed responsibility. However, all parties must be able to contribute," Kalla was quoted in a statement sent by the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.
In the summit, attended by world leaders of the UN's 193 member states, Kalla emphasized the importance for the international community to work together more closely to address the various human tragedies experienced by migrants, noting that no country can do it alone.
Although Indonesia is not a party to the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, Kalla underlined the country's commitment on providing humanitarian assistance for those who have arrived on its shores. Indonesia is traditionally viewed as a transit country for those on their way to final destinations such as Australia.
Kalla stressed the importance of a comprehensive approach to address the issue of irregular migration, saying that there is a need to find ways of prevention, as well as addressing the root cause. In his remarks, the Vice President also took the opportunity to convey Indonesia's initiative in handling irregular migration through the leadership role taken in the Bali Process, a regional discussion forum. (dmr)
