The second Indonesia-Pacific Parliamentary Partnership (IPPP) meeting was recently held in Jakarta, Indonesia, aiming to bolster parliamentary diplomacy in the Pacific region.
The IPPP is a strategic initiative intended to enhance communication and collaboration between Indonesia’s House of Representatives and Pacific countries’ parliaments, focusing on key areas such as trade, investment, the economy, and maritime and land-sea connectivity.
Given Indonesia’s position as the world’s fourth-most populous nation and third-largest democracy, along with its proximity to the Pacific, this partnership serves as an excellent opportunity for capacity building in Fiji and the Pacific. Indonesia’s drive to modernize while retaining its cultural identity aligns well with Fiji’s values.
Indonesia offers valuable lessons and is helping bring parliament members together for more effective collaboration.
By adopting Indonesia’s economic model, Fiji could discover practical solutions to enhance regional connectivity and cooperation.
The second IPPP session was attended by parliamentary leaders and members from 12 countries, one territory, and an international organization. The event aimed to reconnect and strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation, foster regional connectivity, and promote sustainable and inclusive development. Discussions covered critical issues such as climate change, economic development, and cultural exchange.
The IPPP aims to create a connected and prosperous Pacific region through collaborative efforts and shared values. This continuity from the first to the second meeting reflects a growing commitment to tackling regional challenges collectively and leveraging the Pacific Ocean’s potential for the benefit of all member nations.
Indonesia’s role as an intermediary provides a collaborative space for Pacific island leaders to discuss and enhance their policies, promoting genuine regional cooperation without imposing any agenda.
Key points discussed at the IPPP meeting include:
1. Unity Through the Ocean: Reinforcing diplomatic and political engagement based on shared oceanic and cultural ties.
2. Addressing Regional Issues: Tackling economic uncertainties, climate change, ocean degradation, natural disasters, food security, and maritime security.
3. Parliamentary Diplomacy: Emphasizing parliamentary diplomacy to build a more equitable, resilient, and prosperous future.
4. Environmental Concerns: Addressing marine biodiversity degradation and issues like marine debris, pollution, and unsustainable exploitation.
5. Cultural and Educational Exchange: Encouraging educational and cultural exchanges to enhance people-to-people connections.
6. South-South Cooperation: Exploring cooperation through knowledge sharing for sustainable development.
7. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Reaffirming commitment to SDGs, blue economy, and empowering women and youth in maritime sectors.
8. Climate Change Mitigation: Cooperating on mitigating climate change impacts and securing climate financing.
9. Economic Growth: Boosting economic growth through trade, investment, digital infrastructure, and enabling policies.
10. Key Development Areas: Supporting regional connectivity and prosperity through cooperation in human resources, education, culture, and tourism.
11. Future Commitment: Ensuring fulfillment of commitments and sharing the meeting’s summary with governments for consideration.
12. IPPP Platform Utilization: Continuing to use IPPP for regional engagement and evolving it into a more institutionalized parliamentary assembly.
13. Strengthening Parliamentary Cooperation: Enhancing cooperation in areas such as capacity building, legislative drafting, technological innovation, and information exchange.
14. Commendation and Future Meetings: Commending Indonesia for organizing the event and expressing eagerness for future IPPP meetings.
Parliamentarians agreed to follow through on commitments and utilize the IPPP for ongoing regional engagement, aiming to strengthen inter-parliamentary relations and enhance cooperation in key areas. They commended Indonesia for successfully organizing the event and looked forward to future meetings.
ARNOLD CHANEL is an investor and business executive with years of tech expertise. He can be contacted on ceo@vanguardtech.pro. The views expressed in this article are his and not of this newspaper.