Memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Indonesia and the Philippines to strengthen cooperation and water security in border areas was signed at Bogor Palace, Monday, witnessed by Presidents Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.

“Regarding strengthening border cooperation, we agreed to review the two border security agreements to stay relevant to the community ,” Jokowi noted during a virtual press statement as accessed from the Secretariat President’s YouTube channel on Monday.

Jokowi and Marcos agreed to review two border security agreements: the revised border crossing and the border patrol agreement.

Indonesia and the Philippines are also committed to accelerating negotiations on the delimitation method or determining the boundary line in the maritime area based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

In addition to the two agreements, Jokowi lauded the inking of the MoU on cooperation between the two countries in the defense and security fields by Indonesian Defense Minister, Prabowo Subianto, and the Philippines’ Senior Undersecretary Department of National Defense, Jose C. Faustino.

Under the MoU, the two countries encourage strengthening water safety and security in border areas.

The president also lauded the renewed Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA) agreement between Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

“Securing waterways is very important to avoid threats from hostage-taking and kidnapping,” Jokowi stated.

President Jokowi also highlighted five aspects discussed with President Marcos: increasing potential in the trade sector, infrastructure and strategic industrial cooperation with State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), border cooperation, water safety in border areas, and strengthening the centrality of the ASEAN region.

Jokowi’s ranks of ministers including Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of State Secretariat Pratikno, and Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno were present at the Bogor Palace.

Moreover, Indonesia’s Ambassador to the Philippines Agus Widjojo and Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Director General of Asia-Pacific and African Affairs Abdul Kadir Jailani were present to welcome President Marcos and his entourage.

Source: Antara News