Indonesia to suppose development in Africa - Jokowi
JAKARTA - Indonesia will build concrete collaboration with Africa through a grand design of ongoing development for the next five years, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has said, reported ANTARA news agency.
He delivered the statement at a press briefing after holding a bilateral meeting with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan at Dar Es Salaam State House in Tanzania on Tuesday.
"Indonesia will walk the walk to realise concrete collaboration with Africa. Indonesia is finalising a grand design for the development of Africa over the next five years," Jokowi said, according to a statement released on Tuesday.
He discussed a development plan aimed at revitalising the agricultural sector in Tanzania, which included revitalising the Morogoro Farmer's Agriculture and Rural Training Centre.
As previously reported, besides the agricultural sector, Jokowi reiterated Indonesia's commitment to building health security in Tanzania by providing pharmacy products.
He said that an Indonesian pharmacy manufacturer will export its products to Tanzania for the first time.
Jokowi also expressed his intention of improving investment in the energy sector.
He said that investment in the sector is highly strategic and could strengthen cooperation between developing countries.
Jokowi also called for the establishment of a preferential trade agreement (PTA) between Indonesia and Tanzania to optimise bilateral trade.
Furthermore, he suggested the establishment of a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) to ensure the protection and continuity of investments of both countries.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi stated that Tanzania has expressed interest in studying Indonesia's infrastructure achievements and downstream industries, reported ANTARA.
"Tanzania is also willing to learn from Indonesia about the development of the palm oil industry and the management of state-owned enterprises (SOEs)," she said in a statement released in Jakarta on Tuesday.
This interest was conveyed by Samia during her meeting with Jokowi.
Additionally, the Indonesian government seeks to strengthen diplomatic relations with Tanzania through the development of a diplomatic school curriculum, Marsudi said.
"President Jokowi invited a team from Tanzania to visit Jakarta to exchange ideas regarding the development of a diplomatic school curriculum," she stated.
The bilateral meeting led to the signing of cooperation documents in several sectors, including a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the establishment of a joint commission for bilateral cooperation and a visa-free agreement for diplomatic passport holders.
The two countries also signed an MoU on health cooperation, as well as an agreement on the energy sector and electricity cooperation, which was forged between Indonesia's state electricity company PLN and the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO), Marsudi informed.
She added that an MoU was also signed by Indonesia's state mining holding MIND ID and the Tanzanian State Mining Corporation (STAMICO).
Indonesia's state oil company Pertamina and the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) also inked an MoU on the oil and gas business value chain. - BERNAMA
