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Norway, RI to discuss bilateral ties

Indonesia will host the fourth joint commission for bilateral cooperation with Norway on Sunday, kicking off a series of diplomatic activities taking place in Bali, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday

Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post)
Fri, October 26, 2018 Published on Oct. 26, 2018 Published on 2018-10-26T02:22:06+07:00

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I

ndonesia will host the fourth joint commission for bilateral cooperation with Norway on Sunday, kicking off a series of diplomatic activities taking place in Bali, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir said Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi would lead the meeting with her Norwegian counterpart Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide, with discussions to focus on environmental issues, such as climate change and forestry, and cooperation on the renewable economy, maritime affairs, fisheries and education.

“Economic cooperation will be a topic of discussion among the foreign ministers, including the ongoing trade negotiations,” he told a press briefing on Thursday.

Indonesia and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, have been negotiating a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) since 2005.

The Trade Ministry recently said that Indonesia would conclude the 13-year-old trade negotiations by the end of this year.

“The completion of this negotiation would open bigger market access for Indonesian products, not only to Norway, but also other EFTA countries,” Arrmanatha said.

He added that the meeting was expected to result in the issuance of a joint statement on partnership initiatives on the institutional development of Indonesia’s South-South and Triangular Cooperation.

Delegates will then hold the 13th Indonesia Norway Human Rights Dialogue to exchange views on policies regarding the rights of children as victims of terrorism and children in the era of digital technology, as well as democracy, religious freedom and tolerance.

On Monday and Tuesday, Retno and Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti will lead the Our Ocean Conference (OOC). Norway will host the conference in 2019.

The ministry’s director for economic development and environmental affairs Muhsin Syihab said in addition to leading the main sessions, Indonesia would propose plans to introduce appraisal measures and an inventory for best practices during a pre-event on Friday.

He said countries, NGOs and private sector actors had made 600 pledges in six areas of cooperation, namely marine pollution, marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries, climate related impacts on the ocean, the sustainable blue economy and maritime security, of which some 160 had been reportedly completed.

“We believe there has to be an acceptable and established review mechanism with clear parameters, so the completion of the pledges are not self-proclaimed,” Muhsin said, adding that such a mechanism was expected to be Indonesia’s legacy at the OOC.

One of Indonesia’s completed pledges is the establishment of 20 million hectares of marine protected areas by 2020. “According to the relevant observation agencies, it was achieved by the end of last year,” Muhsin said.

On Thursday, Retno will leave for Durban, South Africa, to attend the 18th Indian Ocean Rim Association’s (IORA) Council of Ministers Meeting.

The ministry’s director for Asia Pacific and African intra-regional cooperation Andre Omer Siregar said the meeting would discuss efforts to implement the existing agreements and action plans within the IORA frameworks.

One of the meeting’s outcome documents would be the declaration of guidelines to enhance interaction between IORA dialogue partners, Andre said, adding it “would be the guideline document for strengthening cooperation between IORA partners”.

Indonesia will also participate in the commemoration of Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday.


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