Belitung, Bangka Belitung (ANTARA) - Delegates from several countries have begun arriving in Belitung district, Bangka Belitung Islands province, to attend the ASEAN Blue Economy Forum, an official of Belitung district informed.
Deputy head of Belitung District Isyak Meirobie in Tanjung Pandang, Saturday evening said the delegates who arrived on Saturday were greeted with a welcome dance and offered traditional Belitung food, such as Belitong gravy noodles and orange beverages.
The international-level forum is scheduled from July 1–4, 2023.
“We served traditional foods and beverages and also assorted Indonesian cakes at HAS Hanandjoeddin Airport," he added.
This year, Indonesia is holding the chairmanship of the ASEAN, which is themed "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth" to reflect its goal of making ASEAN important and relevant as a global growth center.
At the 42nd ASEAN Summit held from May 9–11 in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, the bloc's leaders produced several important documents, including the Declaration on Advancing Regional Payment Connectivity and Promoting Local Currency Transactions and the Declaration on the Development of the ASEAN Community's Post-2025 Vision.
After receiving the welcoming banquet, the delegates were escorted by Belitung local police to the venue of the forum, Meirobie said.
"The arrival of the delegates went smoothly and the Belitung Resort Police immediately escorted them to the venue of the event," he added.
The district deputy head informed that the delegates came from Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia. He added that representatives from the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) joined them.
"Nishimura Hidetoshi, the president of ERIA, was among the delegates," he said.
He then expressed the hope that the ASEAN Blue Economy Forum in Belitung will go smoothly and promote Belitung's good reputation in Southeast Asia and the world.
"We have been exerting all-out efforts to prepare to hold the ASEAN Blue Economy Forum in Belitung," he affirmed.
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