G20 Meeting: Jokowi to Hold Bilateral Meetings with Over a Dozen Leaders

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is expected to attend bilateral meetings with other leaders, including US President Joe Biden, on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit next week.

Indonesia, which holds the rotating G20 presidency, will host the summit from Nov. 15-16 on the resort island of Bali.

“As for the bilateral meeting so far… I forgot the details, but there are about 18 to 20 leaders,” said Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi after a limited cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, Oct. 31.

“We will hold a bilateral meeting with the United States,” said Retno.

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The minister said that many country leaders are keen to meet Jokowi as they have high expectations and hopes for the G20 Summit under the theme “Recover Together, Recover Stronger.”

Meanwhile, Retno can’t confirm whether Jokowi will meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as the meeting remains dynamic.

“We’re still waiting for this. As I said there would be 18 bilateral meetings, including with the US. Once again, we are working on it and Insya Allah [God willing] all will run smoothly,” she added.

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She said that her office is in the process of arranging all schedules for the bilateral meetings so that they will not hinder the main programs of the G20 Summit.