Indonesia, Singapore Discuss Green Energy, Data Center in IKN

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto met with Singapore's Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Jakarta on Tuesday, April 23, to prepare for the Leaders' Retreat between President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Singapore Prime Minister on April 29, 2024.

“We are optimistic that economic relations between the two countries will continue to thrive through various potential bilateral cooperation,” Airlangga said in an official statement on Tuesday, April 23.

This collaboration includes the field of green energy, particularly solar farms, carbon capture storage, Batam-Bintan-Karimun development, digital connectivity, and data centers. Airlangga said that many data centers will be built in the State Capital or Nusantara (IKN). These aim to bolster the development of IKN which carries modern concepts and digitalization.

Other strategic collaborations, he went on, include the development of human resources through skills development, talent exchange in the digital sector, and capacity building in the healthcare sector. 

Airlangga reaffirmed the Indonesian government's unwavering support for robust relations with Singapore both bilaterally and within the ASEAN framework for economic growth and regional stability.

Besides, Airlangga and Vivian Balakrishnan also deliberated on Indonesia's accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the economic issues related to geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East. 

On this occasion, Balakrishnan expressed optimism that Indonesia would conclude the accession process smoothly.

Previously, Airlangga claimed that the pressure from the Iran-Israel conflict on the weakening of the rupiah and the composite stock price index (IHSG) had abated.

Although the rupiah exchange rate had depreciated 5.16 percent to Rp16,235 against the United States dollar, he argued that Indonesia's condition remained better than other countries, such as the Taiwanese dollar which depreciated by 5.95 percent on April 22 and South Korean Won by 6.62 percent.

“Indonesia's fundamentals are relatively good,” Airlangga concluded.

Editor's Note: The photograph for this article had been corrected, it was replaced with the one showing Singapore's Foreign Affairs Minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, with Indonesian minister Airlangga Hartarto. Previously, the main photo was showing the Ambassador of Singapore instead of the Foreign Affairs Minister.

RIANI SANUSI PUTRI

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