REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo left for Sydney on Friday, to attend the 2018 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. The president and his entourage departed from the Halim Perdanakusumah Air Force Base in East Jakarta.

The summit will discuss strengthening economy partnership, and eradicating terrorism in Southeast Asia region and Australia.

On the summit's sidelines, President Jokowi is also scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Following the meeting, the president will also attend a CEO Forum, and a conference on counter terrorism.

After Sydney, the president will continue his working visit to Wellington, New Zealand, and meet the country's prime minister, Jacinda Ardern.

Jokowi's visit to New Zealand will mark the 60th Anniversary of Indonesia-New Zealand Diplomatic Relations.

The president will attend bilateral meetings with Ardern and the Governor General of New Zealand Patsy Reddy respectively. Following the meetings, Jokowi will meet several CEOs at a business forum in New Zealand.

Jokowi hopes that his visits will strengthen Indonesia's partnerships with Australia and New Zealand.

During his visits, the president is accompanied by Minister/State Secretary Pratikno, the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairman Thomas Lembong, the head of President Secretariat Heru Budi Hartono, the Foreign Affairs Ministry's Protocol and Consular Director General Andri Hadi, the President's Special Staff Sukardi Rinakit, the President's Secretary of Military Affairs Marshal Trisno Hendradi, and the Presidential Security (Paspampres) Commander, Mayor General Suhartono.

Prior to Jokowi's departure, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi had already left for Sydney, to attend a ministerial meeting on the summit.

The president, and his assistance are scheduled to return home on Tuesday, March 20. 

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