The President Mentions the Right to Live and the Right to Build for the People of Gaza at the APEC Summit Retreat

Thepresidentpost.id - San Francisco, United States - President Joko Widodo strongly criticised the conditions facing the people in Gaza, stating that currently, the rights of the people of Gaza to live and to develop are not respected. The President made this statement while opening his remarks at the APEC Economic Leaders Retreat held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, United States (17/11).

"Before we begin our discussion on inclusive development, let us take a moment to think about the people in Gaza. Currently, let alone development, their right to live is not respected," emphasized the President.

Therefore, President Jokowi urged APEC leaders to take action to stop the war, promptly cease hostilities, and ensure humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza can be delivered without hindrance.

Regarding inclusive development, President Jokowi mentioned that APEC needs to prioritise the realisation of inclusive and resilient economic opportunities and growth.

"The Asia-Pacific region has significant potential, with 62 percent of the global GDP and 48 percent of world trade coming from APEC. Amid the uncertain world situation, APEC needs to prioritise the realisation of inclusive and resilient economic opportunities and growth that can be achieved together," he said.

To achieve this, President Jokowi mentioned several key points. Firstly, he stressed the need for a spirit of collaboration, emphasising that to realise the APEC 2040 vision, unity and strategic trust are essential.

"This is the key to maintaining APEC's relevance as the premier economic forum in the region," he added.

Secondly, the President stated that regional economic resilience needs to be strengthened to maintain resilience in the global supply chain. He continued that the dependence and dominance of the global supply chain in several economies must be reduced.

"Developing countries must play a role and participate in the global supply chain, including through downstreaming to support developing countries in making development leaps," he continued.

Thirdly, concerning the use of digital technology in the region, President Jokowi mentioned that APEC should work together to bridge the digital divide through policy synergy and strengthening infrastructure that can be used to drive inclusive economic growth, including integrating Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) into the digital ecosystem.

"The integration of MSMEs into the digital ecosystem is crucial to expanding markets and strengthening the resilience of MSMEs, which are the backbone of most APEC economies," he said.

Furthermore, President Jokowi emphasised that Indonesia is continuously promoting the use of digital technology. The President mentioned that this utilisation is done for the development of the creative economy to the development of MSMEs with a target of digitising around 30 million MSMEs by 2024.

In this context, the President also expressed appreciation for APEC's support for Indonesia's chairmanship of ASEAN in 2023.

"I am confident that APEC and ASEAN can continue to collaborate to realise the centre of world growth," he concluded.

Accompanying President Jokowi in the meeting was Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.