"The G20 Parliament is a representation of the voice of the people, the global people, elected and trusted by the people, which captures and voices the voice of the people, and at the same time invites the people to work together in facing this very difficult challenge."

 

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) opened the 8th G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit which was held at the Indonesian House of Representatives Building, Jakarta, Thursday, under the theme ‘Strong Parliament for Sustainable Recovery’.

In his remarks, President Jokowi invited parliaments in the G20 (P20) countries to lower their respective egos as well as strengthen cooperation in facing global challenges and crises.

"We must strive to overcome differences, multiply and strengthen common ground to promote the world's economic recovery, and to overcome the crisis more effectively," the president stated.

The head of state considered that multilateralism is the most effective way to overcome common challenges, and therefore, countries in the world must be willing to sit down together, talk, and build bridges of dialogue so as to find solutions to various problems.

“Conflicts and divisions actually make us all miserable. Everyone is affected, everyone loses, everyone is threatened, no one wins because actually everyone loses," he added.

Therefore, Jokowi invited global parliaments to be part of the solution, act as a bridge, carry a mission of peace, build dialogue and negotiations, promote togetherness, and avoid conflicts.

President Jokowi believes that the P20 forum is the right place to build togetherness with the people and cross-country togetherness and work together to solve humanitarian problems and build a more prosperous world with justice.

"The G20 Parliament is a representation of the voice of the people, the global people, elected and trusted by the people, which captures and voices the voice of the people, and at the same time invites the people to work together in facing this very difficult challenge," he said.

The 8th P20 session was attended by the parliaments of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union.

Also attending as invitees were the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Senegal (Chairman of the African Union), Cambodia (Chairman of ASEAN), Republic of Suriname (Chairman of the Community of Caribbean Countries/CARICOM).

In addition, the session was also attended by Bahrain, the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the Republic of Namibia, Norway, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Colombia, and Ukraine.

Reporting by Indonesia Window