JAKARTA (Bernama): Indonesia and Germany have agreed to continue expanding mutually beneficial trade and investment, while strengthening cooperation in areas including the economy, energy transition, energy security, education and employment.
The agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday.
"The strengthening and continuity of the Indonesia-Germany partnership is, of course, a priority. This visit also marks the beginning of preparations for the 75th anniversary of Indonesia-Germany bilateral relations in 2027,” Prabowo said in a joint press conference which was also streamed on YouTube.
Steinmeier and First Lady Elke Büdenbender arrived in Jakarta earlier on Monday for a state visit to Indonesia, with their aircraft landing at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base at about 9.20 am local time.
Prabowo said during the meeting that he had also expressed hope that negotiations on the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA) could reach a substantive conclusion and urged Germany to continue playing an active role in the finalisation process within Europe.
Prabowo also invited Germany to expand investment in strategic sectors in Indonesia, including energy transition, downstream industrial development, electric vehicles, semiconductors, critical minerals, rare earth supply chains and infrastructure development.
In the area of healthcare workforce development, Prabowo welcomed the signing of a Letter of Intent on the Global Skills Partnership in nursing and expressed Indonesia's interest in expanding employment opportunities for Indonesian workers in Germany, including in high-technology sectors.
Meanwhile, Steinmeier expressed support for the swift conclusion of negotiations on the IEU-CEPA, saying the agreement held enormous potential for both sides and could create new investment opportunities while strengthening cooperation in innovation.
Steinmeier said many German companies had maintained a longstanding presence in Indonesia, including Siemens, Daimler and Continental, which he said reflected Indonesia's growing appeal not only as a market but also as an investment destination.
He also highlighted opportunities for closer cooperation in renewable energy, saying global climate challenges and geopolitical developments underscored the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. - Bernama
