Khofifah and Yemeni Ambassador Discuss Strengthening Strategic Cooperation
Surabaya — The Governor of East Java, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Yemen to Indonesia, Salem Ahmed Abdulrahman Balfakeeh, have discussed strengthening strategic cooperation across the education, trade, and cultural sectors.
“The Ambassador and his team have discussed several strategic matters to be followed up through technical cooperation in the sectors of education, trade, and culture,” Khofithah stated after receiving the Ambassador at the Grahadi State Building, Surabaya, on Monday. However, she added that the process would strictly adhere to the recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) of East Java Province.
Khofifah explained that the trade sector between East Java and the Republic of Yemen has shown a positive trend in recent years. During the 2021–2025 period, the value of East Java’s exports to Yemen experienced an average annual growth of 24.08 per cent. In 2025, the export value from East Java to Yemen reached approximately 14.6 million US dollars, with primary commodities including processed flour, soap and cleaning preparations, paper and cardboard, glass products, processed foods, electrical equipment, and fishery products.
According to Khofifah, opportunities to increase trade cooperation remain wide open, particularly as various Indonesian food products are already well-known in Yemen. “The brotherhood between Indonesia and Yemen, especially the Hadramaut Province, is incredibly strong. We also see many Yemeni products here, such as Yemeni honey, which is a common souvenir for Hajj or Umrah pilgrims; additionally, Yemeni songs are popular here,” she said.
In the cultural sector, Khofifah noted that the historical relationship between East Java and Yemen has been established for a long time through maritime trade, the dissemination of knowledge, and social interaction. The presence of the Arab-Hadhrami community in the Ampel area of Surabaya and other parts of East Java serves as a powerful symbol of this historical bond. She emphasised the importance of building education, particularly in religious disciplines, while strengthening moderation within the community.
Meanwhile, the Yemeni Ambassador to Indonesia, Salem Ahmed Abdulrahman Balfakeeh, expressed his appreciation for the East Java Provincial Government’s warm welcome regarding the proposed cooperation. “They play such a significant role in this country; therefore, we now wish to rebuild these relations across the education, culture, and economic sectors. We hope all these plans can be achieved,” he said.