House Ratifies Agreement on Indonesia-Philippines EEZs, Concludes 20 Years of Negotiations
Jakarta. The House of Representatives ratified a maritime agreement demarcating the exclusive economic zones of Indonesia and the Philippines in a plenary session on Thursday (27/04), concluding 20 years of negotiations between the two Southeast Asian countries.
"Reaching this agreement with the Philippines, the settlement of this ratification, shows Indonesia's commitment to resolve border issues with its neighbors," Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi said in a statement.
The agreement, signed in 2014 by Retno and her Philippine counterpart Albert del Rosario, was ratified after rounds of discussions in April at House Commission I, which oversees foreign affairs.
This is the first maritime agreement between Indonesia and the Philippines. It officially draws a clear boundary of more than 1,000 kilometers between the two countries, where the Indonesian and the Philippine exclusive economic zones (EEZ) overlap.
Following the ratification, the two countries will continue negotiations on establishing a continental border and tripoints with Malaysia in the west as Palau in the east.
The agreement not only consolidates Indonesia's EEZ, but also plays an important role for its sovereignty and management of the marine and fisheries sectors.
It will also help combat illegal fishing and protect Indonesian fishermen.
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