Indonesian foreign minister attends Iftar in Seoul

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (front row, center) attends the Iftar dinner hosted by Indonesian Ambassador to Korea Gandi Sulistiyanto (front row, fourth from right) in Yeouido, Seoul, last Wednesday. (Indonesian Embassy in Seoul)

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (front row, center) attended the Iftar dinner hosted by Indonesian Ambassador Gandi Sulistiyanto (front row, fourth from right) in Yeouido, Seoul, last Wednesday. Iftar is a meal taken by Muslims at sunset to break the daily fast during Ramadan.

Marsudi was in Seoul to attend the 2nd Summit for Democracy, the Indo-Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Meeting and the 4th Indonesia-Korea Joint Commission Meeting (JCM).

The dinner was followed by an informal briefing by Marsudi on the priorities of Indonesia's leadership in ASEAN and MIKTA in 2023. MIKTA refers to an informal grouping of middle powers including Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia.

Marsudi discussed ASEAN and MIKTA as positive forces that contribute to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity. She asked ASEAN and MIKTA countries to collaborate in maritime cooperation, infrastructure, the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and trade and investment cooperation -- the four priority areas of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

By Sanjay Kumar(sanjaykumar@heraldcorp.com)