Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has urged stronger food security cooperation between ASEAN and Canada.
According to Retno, food security remains an increasingly worrying global and regional challenge.
That is why, at the ASEAN-Canada Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held Friday in Vientiane, Laos, he stressed the importance of close cooperation between the countries to ensure the availability, access and affordability of food.
“As the world’s food and agricultural basket, Canada is an important partner for ASEAN in strengthening food security in the region,” Foreign Minister Retno said in a written statement.
On this occasion, he expressed Indonesia’s hope that the food security cooperation between ASEAN and Canada can soon be implemented concretely.
As is known, ASEAN and Canadian leaders agreed to the ASEAN-Canada Leaders’ Joint Statement on Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Response to Crises during Indonesia’s ASEAN Chairmanship last year.
Retno explained that the implementation of this cooperation could be done, among other things, by establishing an ASEAN-Canada mechanism to ensure various agricultural needs such as fertilizers in times of crisis, or by collaborating on agricultural technology to increase the sustainability and resilience of the countries’ agricultural system.
Furthermore, on the issue of women, peace and security, Foreign Minister Retno called on Canada to support the mechanism for women negotiators and mediators in Southeast Asia, namely the Southeast Asian Women Peace Mediators (SEAWPM).
Furthermore, regarding the Palestinian issue, the Indonesian Foreign Minister appreciated the steps taken by Canada to relaunch its humanitarian aid to Palestine through UNRWA.
Retno also called on Canada, represented at the meeting by Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, to immediately recognize the Palestinian state and support Palestine’s full membership in the UN. He stressed that this step was very important to advance the two-state solution process.
Last year, the ASEAN-Canada partnership was elevated to the status of a strategic partner.
Indonesia welcomes the elevating status of the ASEAN-Canada partnership and believes that Canada’s strategy for the Indo-Pacific region has been translated into concrete terms in the form of cooperation with the region.
Indonesia also welcomes the holding of the ASEAN-Canada Summit in October.
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