MFA Press Statement: Visit by Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean to Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia, for the Indian Ocean Rim Association Commemorative Leaders' Summit, 6 to 8 March 2017

DPM Teo Chee Hean represented Singapore as Special Envoy of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Leaders’ Summit on 7 March 2017.  [Photo credit: MCI]

DPM Teo Chee Hean called on Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla on 7 March 2017.  [Photo credit: MCI]

                    Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean attended the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Leaders’ Summit on 7 March 2017 as Special Envoy of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.  DPM Teo was accompanied by Senior Minister of State (SMS), Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman.  Alongside Leaders of other IORA Member States, DPM Teo signed the Jakarta Concord, a non-binding document highlighting key initiatives and areas of cooperation between IORA Member States.  DPM also delivered a National Statement during the Summit, which is at Annex.

                   DPM Teo called on Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla.  DPM Teo congratulated Indonesia on the successful IORA Chairmanship and said that Singapore supported the work of the IORA and its priority areas.  DPM Teo and Vice-President Jusuf Kalla also agreed that 2017 was an important year for Singapore and Indonesia as the two countries mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.  DPM Teo and Vice-President Jusuf Kalla further discussed ways to take the bilateral relationship forward, including enhancing mutually-beneficial cooperation in tourism and air connectivity.

                   DPM Teo also met Indonesian National Police Chief Tito Karnavian.  DPM Teo and National Police Chief Tito exchanged views on the security climate in the region, and reaffirmed the commitment by Singapore and Indonesia to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation.                                           

                   DPM Teo will conclude his visit to Jakarta tomorrow.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

7 MARCH 2017

Annex

NATIONAL STATEMENT BY MR TEO CHEE HEAN, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND COORDINATING MINISTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AT THE  INDIAN OCEAN RIM ASSOCIATION (IORA) LEADERS’ SUMMIT,
7 MARCH 2017, 1300 HRS, JAKARTA CONVENTION CENTRE, JAKARTA, INDONESIA

“Strengthening Cooperation for A Peaceful, Stable and Prosperous Indian Ocean”

Your Excellency President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, Chair of IORA,

Your Excellency President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, Vice-Chair of IORA,

Your Excellency Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia, Immediate Past Chair of IORA,

Distinguished Leaders,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1                                 It is an honour to be in Jakarta to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (or “IORA”)’s founding.  I would like to thank His Excellency President Joko Widodo, the Indonesian government and people for the warm and gracious hospitality accorded to me and my delegation.

Mr Chairman,

2                                 The Indian Ocean has played a central role in the story of humanity since antiquity. The earliest civilisations of Mesopotamia along the Tigris-Euphrates and Harappa along the Indus valley, developed around the Indian Ocean. For thousands of years, the monsoon trade system facilitated the exchange of cultures, religions and people.  Explorers such as Ibn Battuta, Admiral Zheng He and Vasco de Gama opened up new trade routes and connections.
I thank the Sultan of Oman, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos for sending the Arabian dhow, the Jewel of Muscat, to retrace this ancient trade route from Oman to Singapore in 2010. The dhow now occupies a place of honour in our Maritime Experiential Museum.

3                                 Over time, the days of sail have given way to the steamship, and then to the jet-airliner. Today, the time to cross the Indian Ocean has been reduced from the annual round-trip journey by sail, to days by modern ships and hours by jet. Modern telecommunications and data-links further connect our people from IORA within seconds. This opens many new possibilities to collaborate. 

4                                 40 years ago, Singapore’s first Foreign Minister
S Rajaratnam expressed the hope that the Indian Ocean would once again take its place as “a vital component in the machinery of world trade and finance.”  As the third largest water body, the Indian Ocean supports some of the world’s most important shipping lanes and ports. Over half of the world’s container ships, a third of bulk cargo traffic and two thirds of global oil shipments use the Indian Ocean. 

5                                 As a trading and maritime nation at the strategic junction in the Asia-Pacific, between the Pacific and Indian Ocean basins, Singapore has supported IORA’s institutional goals and aspirations since its establishment in 1997.  We are pleased to see the group grow – with 21 member states and 7 dialogue partners. We also applaud the commendable effort and vision of Indonesia as Chairman in bringing us here. 

Mr Chairman,

6                                 The many leaders gathered today is testament to our support for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indian Ocean. Even as Members commemorate the past 20 years, we are looking ahead to the next 20 years and beyond.

7                                 IORA members already account for 9% of global GDP, 12 % of global exports and 18 % of global investment flows[1].  Singapore, like many other countries, sees good potential for the future of the Indian Ocean Rim region, for instance through developing the “Blue Economy”. In doing so, we should, as coastal states and sea-faring nations, work together to promote maritime safety and security in the Indian Ocean, ensuring the freedom of navigation and overflight and passage rights in accordance with international law, in particular the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

8                                 Amidst global uncertainties, the Jakarta Concord is timely and sends a strong signal to the global community of our collective commitment to strengthen cooperation. Our efforts under the IORA Action Plan to enhance maritime safety and security, promote open trade and investments and sustainable and responsible fisheries will benefit over 2.2 billion people in the Indian Ocean Rim Region.  The Declaration on Preventing and Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism adopted by IORA ministers yesterday also demonstrates our resolve to work together and denounce terrorism and violent extremism.

Mr Chairman,

9                                 Singapore will continue to support IORA and its priority areas. As a young country, we had received invaluable technical assistance from friends near and abroad. We believe in paying it forward. Over the years, the Singapore Cooperation Programme – which focuses on capacity building – has hosted more than 20,000 participants from IORA countries.

10                            Last year, we shared experiences in port management by hosting the inaugural “Port Management and Operations” programme for IORA senior port officials. We will organise a second edition this year. In line with IORA’s priority on people-to people exchanges and regional tourism, we plan to host a new programme on “Tourism Management” in 2018. We hope that our modest contributions in capacity building will add to the collaborative spirit of sharing among IORA members.

Mr Chairman,

11                            I am confident that through closer interaction and collaboration, we will not only strengthen our friendship and ties, but also help each other maximise our potential in the Indian Ocean Rim region, and beyond.

12                            Thank you. Terima kasih.

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[1] IORA Ministerial Economic and Business Conference Report, http://www.iora-ebc.com, assessed 4 March 2017.  IORA GDP at US$6.9 trillion as at 2015.