President Zuma in Indonesia for state visit, IORA summit

Sunday, March 5, 2017

Pretoria- President Jacob Zuma has arrived in Jakarta, Indonesia for a state visit at the invitation of President Joko Widodo, the presidency said.

During the state visit,  President  Zuma will promote stronger ties with Indonesia in business, trade and investment, as well as promote South Africa as a viable destination for Indonesian tourists, business and investments, the Presidency said.
 
“The President will also promote investment in the country’s ocean economy, in key areas such as marine transport and manufacturing, offshore oil and gas exploration, aquaculture, agro-processing, mining and mineral beneficiation, renewable energy, finance and tourism.”

Both South Africa and Indonesia are one of the largest economies in their respective regions, and endowed with rich natural and maritime resources.

The visit will also see President Zuma attending a summit of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).  

The IORA Summit has been convened under the theme “Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for a Peaceful, Stable and Prosperous Indian Ocean” to commemorate 20 years of the Association’s existence.

South Africa and Indonesia are both founding members of the IORA, which consists of 21 coastal member states bordering the Indian Ocean, stretching from South Africa in the west, running up the eastern coast of Africa, along the Gulf to South and Southeast Asia, ending with Australia in the east.  

The Indian Ocean region’s population is home to nearly one-third of the world’s population and is of great economic significance, due to its strategic location.

Half of the world’s trade travels through this region and IORA’s vast coastline holds two thirds of the world’s oil reserves, and one third of the bulk cargo traffic and produces goods and services worth over US$1 trillion, with intra-IORA trade amounting to some US$777 billion. 

The Presidency said President Zuma will use the IORA summit to promote stronger economic cooperation within the IORA countries.

“South Africa also wishes to see enhanced interaction between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Association of South Eastern Asian Nations, to which many IORA countries belong, in order to advance greater South-South cooperation as was envisaged during the Bandung Conference in 1955 from which the Non-Aligned Movement emerged.”

Indonesia served as Vice Chair of IORA from 2013 until 2015, and is the current Chair. South Africa served as Vice Chair from 2015 and will assume the Chair from October 2017 until 2019.

The President is accompanied by the Ministers of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Senzeni Zokwana and the Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa.-SAnews.gov.za