President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, has expressed his hopes for mutually beneficial synergies in economic cooperation opportunities with Brazil.
This statement was made during his participation in the Indonesia-Brazil Business Forum held at the Copacabana Palace, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday, November 17, 2024, as reported by presidenri.go.id.
The forum brought together business leaders from both nations to discuss strategic economic collaboration opportunities, particularly in the industrial, energy, and maritime sectors.
During his remarks, President Prabowo highlighted the similarities between Indonesia and Brazil, including their abundant natural resources and shared strategic visions for the future.
“Indonesia and Brazil are both large nations with substantial populations and rich resources. While Brazil has advanced significantly in its industries, Indonesia is still striving to catch up through industrialization. I believe we can establish synergy and foster mutually beneficial relationships,” said President Prabowo, as quoted by Kompas.tv.
Focus Areas for Collaboration
President Prabowo emphasized the importance of food security as a foundation for national development and highlighted Indonesia’s commitment to addressing poverty and hunger.
He mentioned the government’s free nutritious meal program for children as a priority and expressed interest in learning from Brazil’s successful initiatives in this area.
“We plan to form a team to study Brazil’s successful food programs,” he stated.
In the energy sector, President Prabowo identified significant opportunities for collaboration, particularly in biofuel and renewable energy. Indonesia aims to increase biodiesel usage to 50% by 2025, leveraging palm oil as a primary raw material.
Discussing the maritime sector, Prabowo noted Indonesia’s position as one of the world’s largest fishery producers but highlighted a shortage of 40,000 fishing vessels with capacities of 150–300 GT. Therefore, he invited Brazilian investors to support Indonesia’s efforts in this area, aligning with the nation’s push for downstream processing of natural resources.
BRICS Membership
Prabowo also voiced support for Brazil’s active role in BRICS, a prominent global economic organization, and reiterated Indonesia’s commitment to joining the group as part of its strategy to strengthen the national economy.
“I sent the Foreign Minister to attend the BRICS Summit in Kazan shortly after my cabinet was inaugurated. Indonesia aspires to join Brazil and other BRICS member nations,” he said.
Commitment to Foreign Investment
President Prabowo concluded his address by emphasizing Indonesia’s dedication to creating a favorable business climate for foreign investors.
“Indonesia values the importance of investment and continues to strive for a positive business environment to sustain economic growth,” he affirmed, quoting metrotvnews.com.
The President was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Foreign Minister Sugiono, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Djiwandono, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, and Indonesian Ambassador to Brazil Edi Yusup during the visit.
Source: presidenri.go.id, metrotvnews.com, kompas.tv
Image source: setkab.go.id
