REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, LONDON -- The governments of Indonesia and Panama have explored cooperation in the field of maritime affairs, the Indonesian foreign ministry's Director General for America and Europe Dian Triansyah Djani stated.
The maritime cooperation will cover seaport management, ship registration, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU), ship crew protection, sailor certification, and bilateral trade potential, the ministry noted in a statement, Tuesday (9/6).
Director General Djani recently held a meeting with Panama's Maritime Affairs Minister Jorge Barakat Pitty in Panama, Enjai Diana of the directorate general said in the statement.
"Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic nation, and its maritime potential needs to be developed in accordance with the policy of President Joko Widodo," Djani noted.
Indonesia can benefit from the cooperation with Panama, which has experience in developing its maritime potential.
Panama has 13 seaports that include Cristobal and Balboa, which are among the busiest seaports in Latin America.
Its maritime development has been supported by Panama Canal that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Some 14 thousand ships cross the Canal annually.
Minister Pitty offered programs on crew training and sailor certification to Indonesia.
The International Maritime University of Panama is reputed as the best university for sailor education in Panama.
Indonesia and Panama have also explored cooperation in Mandatory Consular Notification (MCN) to specifically protect Indonesian migrants in Panama.
According to Indonesian Ambassador to Panama Dwi Ayu Arimami, some 5,421 Indonesian crew members are currently working in Panama-flagged ships.
During his visit to Panama, Djani also held a business meeting with the country's businessmen and "friends of Indonesia" to boost bilateral trade cooperation.
"I highly appreciate such a business meeting," Mendez, a businessman from Panama, remarked during the meeting. Mendez has been successful in marketing Indonesian-made prefabricated houses and creative goods.
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