Labuan Bajo, NTT (ANTARA) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) visited the rehearsal for the 42nd ASEAN Summit during the second day of his series of working visits to Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, Monday.The head of state started the second day’s agenda by visiting the rehearsal for the arrival of ASEAN leaders at the lobby of Meruorah Hotel. ccording to Director General of Information and Public Communication of the Ministry of Communication and Informatics Usman Kansong, the president attended the rehearsal to ensure the readiness of the procession to welcome the state heads participating in the 42nd ASEAN Summit. “The president wants to ensure that all preparations are as we expect,” Kansong stated at the Media Center of the 42nd ASEAN Summit here on Monday. “As soon as he arrived yesterday, (he) immediately inspected the airport’s readiness, then this morning, he inspected the preparations to welcome a number of heads of state at the Meruorah Hotel,” he added. ccording to information from the Press Bureau, Media, and Presidential Secretariat, President Jokowi is also scheduled to inspect the rehearsal for the photo session of each ASEAN leader with him as well as a joint photo rehearsal. Thereafter, the president is scheduled to visit the Komodo Ballroom at the Meruorah Convention Center to inspect the venue for the 42nd ASEAN Summit before visiting the lunch venue for ASEAN leaders. The agenda for the second day was closed by inspecting the rehearsal dinner for ASEAN leaders that will be held at the Ayana Komodo Waecicu Beach. Meanwhile, First Lady Iriana is scheduled to inspect the rehearsals for the ASEAN leadership pairs. In the meantime, Kansong remarked that the president is also scheduled to inspect the location of the 42nd ASEAN Summit Media Center at the Bintang Flores Hotel on Monday afternoon. The ASEAN Summit series is scheduled to take place on May 9-11, 2023, with the main meeting scheduled for May 10-11. Earlier, on landing at Komodo Airport on Sunday, the president emphasized that Indonesia’s chairmanship in ASEAN 2023 carries the principles of collaboration and cooperation. “Indonesia’s principle in the ASEAN Chair is collaboration and cooperation with anyone. What we want is for ASEAN to be open, to cooperate with any country,” Jokowi stated.

Source: Antara News Agency