VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta (voinews): Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan stated that his Saudi Arabian counterpart has expressed commitment to bolstering the productivity of bilateral trade and addressing trade issues between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.

"The Saudi Commerce Minister (Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi) is committed to addressing various economy and trade issues between our two countries," Hasan noted in a statement received here on Wednesday.

Hasan had earlier attended an iftar (fast-breaking) gathering with Al-Qasabi in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday (April 18). Saudi Minister of State Mohammad bin Abdul Malik Al Ash-Shaikh also attended the gathering.

Before the April 18 meeting, Hasan had met Al-Qasabi during two other instances at the G20 last year and during Hasan's working visit to Saudi Arabia last January.

He said the Saudi minister's commitment aligns with the Saudi Food and Drug Administration's (SFDA's) decision to accord export exemptions for Indonesia's poultry products to Saudi Arabia on condition that the products have been heated.

"Moreover, next May, the SFDA will also conduct on-site inspections on eight of Indonesia's fish processing units, thereby allowing our fishery products to be exported to Saudi Arabia," the minister explained.

Meanwhile, the Saudi trade minister stated that Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman had signed an agreement to establish the Saudi Arabia-Indonesia Bilateral Committee.

"Two days ago, MBS approved and signed the establishment of a bilateral committee between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia that will be headed by MBS and President Joko Widodo and will consist of four cooperation fields," Al-Qasabi stated.

He also expressed optimism that the committee would provide solutions to address all hindrances posed to the bilateral relations, thereby enabling to further enhance relations between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.

Moreover, state minister Al Ash-Shaikh expressed gratitude for Indonesia's support for the international conference on intellectual property rights expected to take place in Riyadh in 2024.

"We thank Indonesia for supporting the international conference," he stated. (Antaranews)