By: Tyas Permata Wiyana )*
Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, will be the venue for the 2023 ASEAN Summit in May 2023. Preparations have been 100% and the committee and local government are ready to welcome the guest delegations of ASEAN countries. The choice of Labuan Bajo as the venue for the conference is a blessing, because this is the first time it has hosted an international event.
ASEAN (Association of South East Asia Nation) is an economic and political union of 10 countries in Southeast Asia which was founded on August 8, 1967 in Thailand. Indonesia is an active member of ASEAN, apart from Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore and Timor Leste.
The 2023 ASEAN Summit will be held in Indonesia, precisely in Labuan Bajo, NTT, from 9 to 11 May 2023. The preparations are getting more mature, especially the infrastructure. Everything has to be perfect because the ASEAN Summit is an international event and brings Indonesia’s name to the eyes of the international community.
President Joko Widodo said that Labuan Bajo was ready to hold the 42nd ASEAN Summit or ASEAN Summit in May 2023. He also ensured that the Summit would be attended by all ASEAN countries.
President Jokowi has visited a number of locations that will be the venue for the 2023 ASEAN Summit during a two-day working visit in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), March 13-14 2023. He wants to ensure preparations for the ASEAN Summit in May, also saw some of the venues. Almost everything is ready, just touch a little.
During the two days in Labuan Bajo, the President visited Puncak Waringin on the first day of his working visit, Monday 13 March 2023. Puncak Waringin will be one of the venues for the 2023 ASEAN Summit. Puncak Waringin will be the Spot Spouse Program for assistant heads of state attending the 2023 ASEAN Summit.
On Tuesday, 14 March 2023, President Jokowi inaugurated the Labuan Bajo-Golo Mori road section. This road supports connectivity in developing Labuan Bajo as a super priority tourist destination. Besides that, it is also a vital point for traffic access in the implementation of the ASEAN Summit, one of the venues in the MICE building. This building was built by ITDC in the Golo Mori Special Economic Zone.
A number of infrastructures are being built to support this event, namely the construction of a round about Beach Club, wharf shelters, landscaping and installation of geomats on the road corridors in the Tana Mori area, helipads, and construction of a parking lot with a capacity of 100 cars.
With the construction of various infrastructures, the regional government of Labuan Bajo is optimistic that the 2023 ASEAN Summit will run smoothly. Development projects are also always on time so that they are according to the set schedule. Labuan Bajo is ready to host the 2023 ASEAN Summit.
Meanwhile, PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said, the development of the 25-kilometer Labuan Bajo-Tanamori access includes the Labuan Bajo-Simpang Nalis-Simpang Kenari-Tanamori Road and 4 bridges with a total length of 175 meters.
The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) has completed the construction of the Labuan Bajo – Tanamori access in West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, in order to support the 2023 ASEAN Summit.
The PUPR Ministry has also completed the construction of the Manggarai Police Command Headquarters, landscaping the Labuan Bajo road corridor, and connecting promenade work in the Zone 4 Waterfront Marina Area.
The Waterfront Marina area is planned to have 5 zones namely Zone 1 Pramuka Hill, Zone 2 Water Village, Zone 3 Pier, Zone 4 Marina Beach area (Inaya Bay), Zone 5 Kampung Ujung and President Jokowi inaugurated in July 2022.
Apart from preparing Labuan Bajo as the location for the 2023 ASEAN Summit, what is equally important is promoting Labuan Bajo as a leading tourist destination. When the summit took place, Labuan Bajo was not closed to tourists. In fact, they are welcome to come and take a vacation as well as see the venues for the Summit from a short distance.
Main Director of the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority Executing Agency (BPOLBF) Shana Fatina ensured that tourism would not be closed during the Asean Summit or Asean Summit on 9-11 May 2023. However, she ensured that the Asean Summit venues would be secured quite tightly.
The venues in question are not far from the port, including the Meruorah Hotel which is in the heart of a tourism location. Likewise, Hotel Ayana, which is only about 6 kilometers from Hotel Meruorah.
Labuan Bajo is really ready to be the venue for the 2023 ASEAN Summit. Various preparations have been made such as representative roads and other infrastructure. With this development, local residents will benefit because it can be used for the long term. The people of Labuan Bajo welcomed the guests of the ASEAN delegation enthusiastically and they were proud to be part of the 2023 ASEAN Summit.
)* The author is a contributor to Persada institute
