VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan held a virtual meeting with Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih on Wednesday to discuss investment and economic cooperation between both nations.

In a written statement released on Thursday, Pandjaitan lauded the meeting that had yielded several cooperation commitments.

Pandjaitan and Al-Falih concurred on forming a task force to discuss investment opportunities. They were also on the same page to hold a similar meeting on June 24, 2021.

Vice State-Owned Minister Kartika Wirjoatmodjo and Indonesia Investment Authority (INA) CEO Ridha Wirakusumah also attended the virtual meeting.

"I am quite pleased that the meeting could be held. May this opportunity serve as a good starting step to conduct cooperation between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia in various fields in the future," he stated.

At the meeting, Indonesia offered Saudi Arabia to invest in Bank Sharia Indonesia (BSI), the nation’s largest sharia compliant bank.

Saudi Arabia has expressed keen interest in the offer and will shortly assign its team to discuss details of the plan.

Indonesia also expressed intent to build the Indonesia Housing in Mecca to accommodate Indonesians while performing the umrah and hajj pilgrimage as well as market Indonesian products in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Falil warmly welcomed the plan and offered several locations for Indonesia Housing.

Both nations also paid similar attention to the issue of climate change faced by countries globally. The Saudi government expressed support for Indonesia to raise the issue of climate change at the G20 Summit to be held in that country next year. (Antaranews)