JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi announced that the government will continue to strengthen its strategic bilateral partnership with new United States President Joe Biden’s administration.
Speaking at a hearing with Parliament’s Commission I on Defense, Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Information, Retno announced that the strategic partnerships will cover various sectors, starting with a green economy and sustainable development.
“We will continue to explore these fields to the benefit of both nations, as they make up one of our [foreign policy] priorities,” she said during the hearing on Tuesday, January 26.
Retno added that Indonesia and the US also have a limited trade deal, and that the government will encourage the US to invest in infrastructure, connectivity and renewable energy.
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The two countries will also cooperate in the health sector, defense and transnational security, as well as education.
She noted that Indonesia is also persuading the US to play a bigger role in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Indonesia appreciates President Biden’s decision to allow the US to rejoin the World Health Organization [WHO], as well as becoming a part of the ACT-Accelerator and Covax initiatives to provide access for Covid-19 vaccines for all countries.”
Retno first voiced her suggestions for the Biden administration to be more involved in multilateral diplomacy in a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers last Thursday, January 21.
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She added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is continuing multilateral efforts to obtain Covid-19 vaccines through the Covax program and other initiatives.
“We estimate that the Covax facility can provide free vaccines for between three to 20 percent of [Indonesia’s] population,” Retno noted.
“We are still discussing the type of [Covid-19] vaccine, their quantity, and the time of delivery.”
Retno also touched on Indonesia’s standing as a co-chair in the Covax Advanced Market Commitment or AMC-92, a group of middle and low-income countries that will be provided free vaccines by Covax.
She maintained that multilateral and bilateral diplomacy can provide Indonesia with enough Covid-19 vaccines. To date, Indonesia has secured vaccines from the Sinovac, AstraZeneca, and Novavax pharmaceutical companies.