REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BOGOR -- Indonesia and Namibia have agreed to jointly combat the practice of "illegal fishing" that is rife in the maritime area of the two states. While delivering a press statement along with President of the Namibian Republic Hage Gottfried Geingob at the Bogor Presidential Palace on Thursday, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) remarked that the two countries had agreed to develop cooperation in maritime and fisheries.

"In the field of maritime and fisheries, especially in the joint efforts to combat 'illegal fishing,' we view cooperation has been agreed with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on maritime affairs and fisheries," he noted.

President Joko Widodo (left) inspects the honorary troops along with Namibian President Hage Gottfried Geingob at Bogor Palace, West Java, Thursday (August 30).

On the same occasion, a cooperation agreement was signed between both nations, witnessed directly by President Jokowi and President Geingob. Foreign Minister Retno L. P. Marsudi represented the Indonesian side to sign the MoU.

On the occasion of the joint press statement, President Geingob highlighted the importance of the agricultural sector, as his country was not self-sufficient in food production. "President (Jokowi) has told me about your country that produces some 98 percent of the food," he remarked.

Geingob noted that his country had sourced food from neighboring countries, such as South Africa. "Then come and join us to produce our own food," he stated.

During the meeting, President Jokowi thanked and lauded President Geingob for Namibia's support for Indonesia's candidacy as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2019-2020 period.

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