Jokowi to visit Australia for discussion on partnership agreement ratification

JAKARTA, Feb 7, 2020, ANTARA. Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is scheduled to pay a state visit to Australia on February 8-10 to discuss economic cooperation, especially the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), currently entering the final phase of ratification, ANTARA reported.

During the visit, both nations are expected to launch a plan of action to implement the IA-CEPA, acting spokesman for the Indonesian Foreign Ministry Teuku Faizasyah revealed in Jakarta on Thursday.

Indonesia is expected to endorse the IA-CEPA into law after the government secured a seal of approval from the House of Representatives (DPR).

The president submitted a bill on the ratification of IA-CEPA to the DPR chairman on January 24 this year.

The two neighboring nations had inked the CEPA on March 4, 2019. Indonesia believes the agreement will be able to boost the competitive edge of its human resources, industry, and service sector.

Additionally, the agreement is expected to step up the access of Indonesian goods and services to the Australian market.

President Jokowi will visit Canberra to attend an annual leaders’ meeting as well as to celebrate seven decades of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Australia.

During his visit to the Australian capital, President Jokowi will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, meet Governor General of Australia David Hurley, deliver his speech to the Australian Parliament, and attend a business meeting between both nations.