Indonesia seeks closer cooperation in energy, labor with Saudi Arabia

JAKARTA: Indonesia is seeking closer cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the energy sector, labor and people-to-people relations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday during Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed bin Abdulkarim El-Khereiji’s visit.
The visit comes as Indonesia seeks to enhance its trade ties with Saudi Arabia. The two countries established in October the Saudi-Indonesia Supreme Coordinating Council headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Joko Widodo.
In Jakarta, El-Khereiji met his Indonesian counterpart Pahala Mansury and they followed up on the establishment of the council, said a statement from the foreign ministry: “Deputy FM Mansury encouraged more cooperation between the two countries on trade and investment, in the energy sector, including renewable energy, retail sector and halal products.”
Indonesia has lately sought to enhance its trade ties with Saudi Arabia and gain a greater presence in the Middle East.
Bilateral ties have traditionally focused on Hajj and Umrah as Indonesia, the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation, sends the largest Hajj contingent of pilgrims every year.
Recently there have been talks to explore untapped potential in commerce, with Saudi-Indonesian trade increasing on average by around 5 percent annually between 2018 and 2022, according to data from the Ministry of Trade.
During the meeting with El-Khereiji, Mansury also sought the placement of Indonesian skilled workers in Saudi Arabia’s health, services and hospitality sectors and eased visa rules for Indonesian and Saudi citizens.
“They also discussed mutual support in many international fora … (and) more representations from Indonesia at the OIC subsidiary bodies,” the ministry said.