Prabowo seeks German support for EU trade deal, receives Qatari foreign minister
President Prabowo Subianto has requested German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s support in finalising the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA). In a joint statement following their meeting at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday, President Prabowo said Indonesia and its European partners have a shared interest in expanding economic cooperation amid increasingly complex global challenges. “We also hope Germany will continue to play an active role in the process of finalising the internal agreement in Europe, so that it can soon deliver concrete benefits for businesses in both countries,” President Prabowo said.
Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad praised Bank Indonesia’s move to expand the use of local currencies in international transactions to strengthen the rupiah and reduce dependence on the US dollar. Dasco said the effort was realised through the signing of a Bilateral Currency Swap Arrangement between Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo and People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng. “The agreement opens wider space for the use of rupiah and renminbi in transactions between Indonesia, mainland China, and Hong Kong, thereby reducing dependence on the US dollar,” Dasco said in a written statement.
President Prabowo also agreed to strengthen labour partnerships in the high-tech and nursing sectors during the visit of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. “In the health workforce sector, we greatly appreciate the signing of a Letter of Intent regarding the Global Skills Partnership in nursing. Indonesia also wants to expand job opportunities for Indonesian workers in Germany, including in the high-tech sector,” President Prabowo said. The bilateral meeting also brought positive developments for micro, small, and medium enterprises in Indonesia.
Deputy Chair of House Commission X Lalu Hadrian Irfani has urged the Ministry of Elementary and Secondary Education to address the phenomenon of hundreds of school principals resigning in South Sulawesi. He said the ministry needs to immediately evaluate and investigate the real causes of the controversy over the management of School Operational Assistance funds, which is suspected to be a factor in the resignations. “We also ask the local government, in this case the provincial and district/city governments in South Sulawesi, to conduct an evaluation as well,” Lalu said at the parliament complex in Jakarta.
President Prabowo received a courtesy call from Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday. The meeting discussed strengthening bilateral relations between Indonesia and Qatar, including investment cooperation and preparations for the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said in a written statement that during the meeting, the Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs conveyed warm greetings and appreciation from the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to President Prabowo.