JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN
THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA ON THE OCCASION OF THE ST A TE VISIT OF
HER EXCELLENCY ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA
TO INDONESIA Jakarta, 25 March 2013
1. At the invitation of the President of the Republic of Indonesia H. E. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the President of the Republic of Liberia H. E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf paid a State Visit to Indonesia from 24-25 March 2013 as the first State Guest from the Republic of Liberia since the etablishment of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Liberia in 1965.
2. A bilateral meeting between President Yudhoyono and President Sirleaf was held in Jakarta on 25 March 2013. The meeting was convened back-to-back with the Fourth Session of the High Level Panel of the Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda in Bali, Indonesia on 26 March 2013. Prior to the meeting, the first meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation between the Republic of Indonesia and the Republic of Liberia co-chaired by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries was convened in Jakarta.
3. The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding. President Yudhoyono and President Sirleaf discussed the bilateral cooperation of the two countries, particularly since their historic first bilateral meeting in Monrovia on 31 January 2013. The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with the cordial and brotherly ties between Indonesia and Liberia and underlined their commitment to bring the bilateral relations to a higher level. The two leaders also discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest and concern.
4. President Yudhoyono reiterated Indonesia's commitment to assist Liberia through technical cooperation and capacity building in various sectors, particularly in industry, agriculture, fishery, education and human resources development, and informed President Sirleaf on the progress and follow-up to bilateral commitments and understanding between the two leaders in Monrovia in January 2013 on this issue.
6. On agriculture cooperation, President Yudhoyono reiterated Indonesia's readiness to support Liberia with sharing of experience and expertise in areas covering rice production, including rice breeding; irrigation management; and practical harvesting technology aimed at increasing rice production output. In this regard, Indonesian government decided to send its agriculture experts and trainers to work closely with their Liberian counterparts in Liberia and to offer Liberian agriculture officials, trainers and farmers to participate in various trainings provided by Indonesian government, including the International Training Workshop on Water Management for Agriculture, to be held in Addis Ababa and Bali in May 2013.
7. On education and human resources development, President Yudhoyono informed President Sirleaf that a number of scholarship schemes and training programs organized by Indonesian government are to be made available for Liberian participants, some starting from 2013. Including in these schemes were the Art and Culture Scholarship; Mid-Career Diplomatic Training; Darmasiswa Scholarship; Graduate and Post-Graduate Scholarship in the Framework of South-South Cooperation; Training for Mid-Career Police Officers; and National Resilience Institute Training for Senior Military Officers. The two leaders agreed to instruct relevant ministries and agencies to work closely in facilitating Liberia's participation in the above-mentioned programs.
8. The two leaders further discussed a number of concrete steps to enhance bilateral trade and investment cooperation. Both Presidents noted with satisfaction the increase in trade volume between the two countries from US$ 30.9 million in 2011 to US$ 39.5 million in 2012. In this regard, the two leaders agreed on the need for enhanced interaction, coordination and collaboration between relevant authorities and business communities in the two countries.
9. Both Presidents also had a productive discussion on regional and global issues of common interest. The two leaders underscored the importance of closer Indonesia-Liberia partnership in promoting regional and international peace, stability and economic development. President Yudhoyono in this respect reaffirmed Indonesia's vision and renewed commitment for a stronger and deeper partnership with Africa. President Sirleaf commended and expressed her support for Indonesia's vision and commitment on this issue.
10. President Yudhoyono informed President Sirleaf of Indonesia's candidature as Non-Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council in 2019-2020 and sought Liberia's kind support. In response, President Sirleaf expressed favorable consideration to Indonesia's candidature.
12. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the results of the State Visit of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to Indonesia and were confident that the visit would lay down a stronger foundation for promoting closer bilateral ties and cooperation.
