Indonesia-Saudi Arabia Agree to Form Joint Coordination Council

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Jokowi met with Saudi Arabia PM Mohammed bin Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Thursday, October 19. Both leaders agreed to form the Indonesia-Saudi Arabia Supreme Coordination Council to strengthen the working relationship between both countries.

"Amidst the increasingly polarized world, the relationship bridged between two countries is needed," Jokowi said in his opening remarks as quoted by the Presidential Press Bureau on October 20.

Jokowi and the Crown Prince inked a number of MoUs between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. In addition to the coordination council, several cooperation agreements were signed, namely between the National Standardization Agency and the Standardization, Metrology, and Quality Organization of Saudi Arabia, an agreement on halal products, and an agreement on the youth and sports sector.

Arab News mentioned that the Saudi Crown Prince and Jokowi are "reviewing the bilateral relations and mutual interest issues".

The bilateral trade value between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia in 2022 reached US$7.5 billion, with export value amounting to US$2 billion, and imports of US$5.5 billion. Meanwhile, the foreign direct investment from Saudi Arabia to Indonesia amounted to US$21.89 from the 2018-2022 period.

A number of ministries accompanied Jokowi on this working visit, including Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and SOEs Minister Erick Thohir. Indonesian Ambassador for Saudi Arabia Abdul Aziz Ahmad was also present.

Meanwhile, on the Saudi Arabian side, the Crown Prince was accompanied by Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman Al-Saud, Sports Minister Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal Al Saud, Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud, and Culture Minister Badr bin Farhan al-Saud.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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