REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo and First Lady Iriana left for Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) on Saturday morning, to attend the 26th APEC Summit. Presidential plane Indonesia-1 with the President and his entourage aboard, departed from Mopah international airport in Merauke district, Papua Province, Bey Machmudin, presidential spokesman, said in a statement.

Upon his arrival in Port Moresby, the Head of State received an internal briefing by Indonesia's APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). He later held a bilateral meeting with Rick Nelson Houenipwela, the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands.

At noon, Jokowi and other leaders will attend the APEC Summit. In the afternoon, Jokowi will hold separate bilateral meetings respectively with PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In the evening, all leaders attending the Summit will be present in a banquet hosted by the PNG Government.

Among members of the presidential entourage are Coordinating Minster for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Minister/State Secretary Pratikno, Head of the Presidential Secretariat Heru Budi Hartono, Presidential Military Secretary Trisno Hendradi, and Head of the State Protocol Andri Hadi.

Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi and Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Thomas Lembong had arrived in PNG earlier for ministerial level meetings of APEC. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a regional economic forum established in 1989 to leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific.

APEC's 21 members aim to create greater prosperity for the people of the region by promoting balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative and secure growth and by accelerating regional economic integration.

APEC is the largest event that Papua New Guinea has hosted and an opportunity to showcase itself as an emerging economy and promote opportunities for investment and development.

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