Indonesia encourages global cooperation on national protection, vaccine accessibility, pandemic mitigation

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – The Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs has invited the G20 member countries to strengthen global cooperation on the protection of citizens, equitable and fair access to the COVID-19 vaccines, and joint efforts to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic.

In a virtual G20 Foreign Ministers’ Extraordinary Meeting on Thursday (Sep 3), Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi delivered three points related to the global cooperation.

“First, advance collaboration on the protection of our nationals. I appreciate the cooperation that members of G20 have rendered to Indonesia, including in the evacuation and repatriation of my nationals,” she said, noting that 145.379 Indonesians has been evacuated and repatriated.

Indonesia also extended full collaboration for other countries to repatriate their nationals, the minister added.

“Second, advance collaboration to strengthen health cooperation. One of the most crucial issue to date is access to vaccines.  We need equality, we need affordability,” Minister Retno emphasized.

Indonesia is now the chair of the Foreign Policy and Global Health (FPGH), putting forward the theme Affordable Healthcare for All.

“My last point is advancing efforts to alleviate socio-economic impacts of the crises. Again, this effort needs collective global leadership,” the minister asserted.

According to her, efforts to revive and reconnect the global economic cooperation should be supported without sacrificing strict health protocols, while global supply chains should also be reactivated,” she said.

The G20 group consists of 19 largest economies in the world and the European Union.

Indonesia will become the president of the G20 forum in 2023.

Reporting by Indonesia Window