REPUBLICA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will attend the first ASEAN-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After making a state visit to China on 17-18 October 2023, Jokowi will then continue his trip to Saudi Arabia.

In Saudi Arabia, Jokowi will also meet the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammad Bin Salman or Prince MBS.

“On October 18, I will continue my trip to Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to make an official visit with the Crown Prince Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia and chair the first ASEAN-GCC Gulf Cooperation Countries summit,” Jokowi said before taking off to visit China, at Soekarno Hatta International Airport on Monday (16/10/2023).

According to Jokowi, the meeting with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will also discuss a number of issues, including increased economic and investment cooperation, the guarantee of halal products, energy, and the establishment of a supreme coordination council.

“I will discuss a number of cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including increased economic and investment cooperation, the guarantee of halal products, energy, and the establishment of a supreme coordination council,” he said. Jokowi and his entourage are expected to arrive in the country on October 21, 2023.

Earlier it was reported that the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit is scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia on October 20, 2023. On that occasion, Jokowi also made a bilateral visit and will hold a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).

“It has been confirmed that Mr. President of the Republic of Indonesia will attend the ASEAN-GCC Summit on October 20, 2023 in Saudi Arabia. His presence is confirmed because he will be co-chairman or co-chairs the summit with the Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia who is also the Crown Prince,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lalu Muhamad Iqbal said in a press briefing on Friday (29/9/2023).

He added that trade and the economy were the two main issues to be discussed at the ASEAN-GCC summit. He said that in addition to participating in the ASEAN-GCC summit, Jokowi will also make a bilateral visit and hold a meeting with Prince MBS.

Regarding ASEAN and the GCC, the first contact between the two regional organizations was established in 1990. At that time, Oman's foreign minister, in his capacity as Chairman of the GCC Council of Ministers, expressed his desire to open formal relations with ASEAN.

In the same year, ASEAN ministers met for the first time with their GCC partners. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York. After that, the two sides agreed to hold an annual meeting at the United Nations.

The ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta and the GCC in Riyadh are also encouraged to develop cooperation. The GCC has six member states: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar.