The visit by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to Indonesia marks a significant milestone in the relations between the two nations, one that sees Sheikh Mohamed follow in the footsteps of his father, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who visited the republic in 1990.
In their talks, Sheikh Mohamed and President Joko Widodo stressed the need for the international community to redouble its efforts for peace and security. When peace and stability are in focus, prosperity and development follow. This visit has strengthened the extensive ties between the UAE and Indonesia, allowing both to improve their diplomatic bonds but also expand trade and investment across multiple sectors for both nations. These ties cover areas that include energy and petrochemicals, retail, ports and customs, tourism and finance.
The ties between the UAE and Indonesia are growing significantly, and bilateral trade between the two reached $3.7 billion in 2017.
As a result of Sheikh Mohamed’s visit, it’s estimated that as much as $15 billion (Dh55 billion) in new deals and partnerships will be achieved between UAE and Indonesian entities. The reality is given the UAE’s connections as the focal point for global trade between east and west, north and south, and the potential of the Indonesia market, there are significant areas for growth, development and cooperation. UAE organisations such as Mubadala and DP World are ideally positioned to benefit from their development contacts and input into Indonesian enterprise endeavours.
The ties between the UAE and Indonesia are growing significantly, and bilateral trade between the two reached $3.7 billion in 2017. In November, Masdar and Indonesian power company PT Pembangkitan Jawa-Bali signed a $2.7 billion contract to construct the world’s largest floating solar photovoltaic power plant — generating clean and green energy and reducing the carbon footprint of the region. That’s the type of innovative thinking that makes a difference, plays to the world-leading strengths of Masdar in the renewable energy sector and improves the lives of so many.
But the ties between the UAE and Indonesia are growing in other ways too. In May, the Indonesia government became the largest issuer of sukuk bonds on Nasdaq Dubai. In the food sector, Indonesia’s National Standardisation Agency and National Accreditation Committee signed a $5.5 billion agreement with Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology to develop the halal food industry.
True friends are always there when help is needed. Last year, Dubai’s International Humanitarian City delivered almost 100 tonnes of aid to Indonesians affected by the Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami, and Dubai Cares and Save the Children are working on projects to restore schools there now.
