Indonesia's State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno visits the 1st Pacific Exposition at SkyCity Convention Center, Auckland, New Zealand, on Friday (July 12, 2019). (Image credit: Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises | ANTARA)

Pacific Exposition 2019: Enhancing Regional Cooperation in Pacific Southeast Asia

Faradita Prayusti
Politics & Economic
Economic
Jul 14, 2019
2872
On July 11, the first Pacific Exposition with themed “Creating Pacific Momentum” was held in Auckland, New Zealand. The expo was focusing on business in the region, investment and tourism potential. Indonesia was the initiator of this expo and received supports from governments of Australia and New Zealand.

There were 20 Pacific countries participated in the expo which are, Australia, Fiji, Cook Island, Solomon Island and the Federated States of Micronesia along with New Zealand, Kiribati, Indonesia, Nauru and Marshall Islands as well as, Timor Leste, Vanuatu, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tuvalu and New Caledonia.

According to the Indonesian Embassy in Wellington, there were 123 firms from Indonesia and Pacific countries were going to participating in Auckland’s first Pacific Exposition. Officials, businessman, and artists from these countries were reported to join the event.

The Foreign Affairs Minister of Indonesia Retno LP Marsudi said 400 guests were also attending the expo.

Foreign Minister Marsudi officially opened the Pacific Exposition 2019 together with New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne as well as leaders from Pacific countries.

On the first day, the expo would hold the Tourism Forum (July 11), while on the second day it was the Business and Investment Forum (July 12), followed by the Pacific Cultural Forum on July 13 and the Sound of the Pacific Concert on the last day, July 14.

The countries were making momentum engage with each other and enhancing the fellowship with Pacific countries and territories through this forum. The expo would connect 17,000 people from Indonesia with thousands of citizens from New Zealand, Australia, and other Pacific countries, said Indonesia Foreign Minister.

Indonesian Ambassador to New Zealand, Samoa, and Tonga Tantowi Yahya said the forums were designed as an opening door for the South Pacific countries to develop their economic opportunities.

Regional cooperation between Southeast Asia and Pacific countries was necessary to enlarge national benefits, particularly in terms of advanced connectivity, product development, and joint marketing as one major brand in tourism and goods, the Ambassador underlined.

Indonesia is part of the Pacific although the country is located in Southeast Asia. Building up partnerships with other Pacific countries for Indonesia is important and can bring advantages for all parties.

Source: https://en.antaranews.com/news/128896/connecting-goods-and-people-of-pacific-southeast-asia

Indonesia , Auckland , New-Zealand , Pacific , Exposition , 2019 , Southeast , Asia , Cooperation