The second Indonesia-Pacific Parliamentary Partnership (IPPP) meeting recently occurred in Jakarta, Indonesia, aimed at bolstering parliamentary diplomacy in the Pacific region.
The IPPP initiative seeks to enhance communication and collaboration between the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia and the parliaments of Pacific countries, primarily focusing on trade, investment, economy, and connectivity by sea and land.
Given Indonesia’s status as the world’s fourth-most populous nation, the third-largest democracy, and a Pacific neighbor, this presents an excellent opportunity for capacity building in Fiji and the Pacific. Indonesia shares values with Fiji in modernizing while preserving cultural identity.
There is much we can learn from Indonesia. By bringing parliament members together, they offer a template that has propelled their economy to new heights. Fiji can adopt practical solutions for regional connectivity and cooperation, focusing on growth that benefits everyone and is environmentally friendly.
The 2nd IPPP session featured parliamentary leaders and members from 12 countries, one territory, and one international organization. Organizers stated the primary goals of the second meeting include reconnecting and strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation, exploring outcomes to enhance regional connectivity, and promoting inclusive, sustainable development. Through regular dialogues, parliamentarians discuss key issues such as climate change, economic development, and cultural exchange.
Ultimately, the IPPP aims to build a connected and prosperous Pacific region based on collaborative efforts and shared values. The continuity from the first to the second meeting signals a growing commitment to address regional challenges and leverage the potential of the Pacific Ocean.
The meeting brings together parliament members worldwide to collaborate more closely and effectively.
Indonesia acts as an intermediary, providing a forum for Pacific leaders to discuss policy enhancements. This approach is refreshing, and Indonesia emerges as a genuine development partner, committed to fostering regional cooperation without pushing its agenda. This sets a remarkable precedent for other nations.
Key Points Discussed at the IPPP:
1. **Unity Through the Ocean**: Countries agreed to strengthen diplomatic engagement, emphasizing their unity through the ocean and cultural similarities.
2. **Addressing Regional Issues**: Collaborative efforts to tackle economic uncertainties, climate change, ocean degradation, natural disasters, food and maritime security.
3. **Parliamentary Diplomacy**: Highlighting parliamentary diplomacy’s role in creating an equitable, resilient, and prosperous future through cooperation.
4. **Environmental Concerns**: Addressing marine biodiversity degradation, marine debris, pollution, and unsustainable exploitation.
5. **Cultural and Educational Exchange**: Promoting educational and cultural exchanges to strengthen people-to-people connections.
6. **South-South Cooperation**: Exploring cooperation through sharing experiences, best practices, and knowledge transfer for sustainable development.
7. **Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)**: Commitment to achieving SDGs through the sustainable use of ocean resources, blue economy, and empowering women and youth in maritime sectors.
8. **Climate Change Mitigation**: Cooperation on mitigating climate impacts and effective climate financing for coastal rehabilitation, marine ecosystem protection, and community empowerment.
9. **Economic Growth**: Boosting economic growth through trade, investment, and business partnerships with supporting digital infrastructure and policies.
10. **Key Development Areas**: Cooperation in human resources, education, culture, and tourism to support regional connectivity and prosperity.
11. **Future Commitment**: Commitment to the meeting’s decisions and sharing the summary with governments for action.
12. **IPPP Platform Utilisation**: Continuing to use IPPP for regional engagement with aspirations to develop it into a sustained parliamentary assembly.
13. **Strengthening Parliamentary Cooperation**: Indonesia’s House of Representatives aims to enhance cooperation with Pacific parliaments in capacity building, legislative drafting, technology innovation, information exchange, and media publication.
Participants commended Indonesia’s House of Representatives for organizing the event and looked forward to future IPPP meetings.
Way Forward:
1. **Fulfillment of Commitments**: Ensuring effective implementation of discussed initiatives and agreements.
2. **Continued Regional Engagement**: Utilizing IPPP for ongoing engagement, aspiring to evolve it into a formal parliamentary assembly.
3. **Strengthening Parliamentary Cooperation**: Enhancing cooperation in capacity building, legislative drafting, technological innovation, and information exchange.
4. **Commendation and Future Meetings**: Participants praised Indonesia and expressed eagerness for the next IPPP meeting, anticipating continued collaboration and progress.
ARNOLD CHANEL is an investor and business executive with years of tech expertise. He can be contacted at ceo@vanguardtech.pro. The views expressed are his and not of this newspaper.