VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo's visit to the United Arab Emirates last Wednesday and Thursday resulted in business commitments and investments worth US$32.7 billion. Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi in her statement in Abu Dhabi said that both the Indonesian and Emirate leaders discussed the progress of investment cooperation between the two countries. The business and investment commitments came from 19 cooperation agreements exchanged in Dubai Thursday (4/11). Minister Retno Marsudi explained that these were among  the topics discussed when President Joko Widodo met Crown Prince Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) at Al-Shatie Palace in Abu Dhabi.

Minister Retno Marsudi further detailed the business and investment commitments, including cooperation between the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA) and the Abu Dhabi Growth Fund (ADG), INA and DB World "floating solar panels" between Masdar and Pertamina "refinery" Balikpapan, manufacturing and distribution of vaccines and "bio products." In addition, various agreements made by technology companies from Abu Dhabi G42 with partners in Indonesia are in the fields of "smart cities", telecommunications and development of "genomic" laboratories.

On the same occasion, Indonesian Minister of Investment / Head of the Investment Coordinating Board, Bahlil Lahadalia explained that Indonesia provides an opportunity for all countries to make investment realization in Indonesia and not only leaning on one country. He hopes the US$32.7 billion investment can be increased again to at least above US#35 billion.

Previously, when President Joko Widodo met investors in Glasgow on the sidelines of the COP26 World Leaders Summit, Indonesia also received an investment commitment worth US$9.2 billion. So, the total investment commitments obtained by Indonesia reached US$41.99 billion.

In addition to investment, President Joko Widodo and Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed also discussed issues in the trade sector. Both leaders agreed to a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) between the two countries to be finalized sooner.