President Jokowi welcomed delegates from the United States – ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) to the Presidential Palace, on Thursday (25/5). The purpose of the meeting was to engage in discussions regarding the enhancement of trade and investment cooperation between Indonesia and the US.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who accompanied Jokowi, informed that more than 30 companies participated in the meeting.
According to Sri Mulyani, Jokowi said that Indonesia will continue to carry out economic transformation, both downstream and also from a sustainable energy perspective, including the energy transition, and continue to support the development of the new capital city (IKN) Nusantara.
“They also discussed Indonesia’s potential to have the facilities to enter the EV market in the US and how we can increase our role and ability to attract investment,” Sri Mulyani said.
Addressing energy partnership to cyber security
According to Sri Mulyani, several key points were discussed, ranging from energy sector to cyber security.
Firstly, the development of energy sector investment from ExxonMobil in Banyu Urip, East Java, and British Petroleum in Tangguh, West Papua.
The business council emphasized the positive progress of these investments. However, they expressed concern regarding climate change and the future role of carbon capture technology.
Sri Mulyani stated that Presiden Jokowi responded by reiterating his dedication to support various policies for energy independence and security in Indonesia, while, at the same time, pursuing its climate change commitments.
Secondly, the increase of the air transportation sector in Indonesia. Sri Mulyani conveyed that the Boeing Company and FedEx Corporation have shown interest in enhancing their investments within the country.
In addition, the minister said that Jokowi also heard the views of Marriott International Inc and Airbnb Inc, which have increased their investment in the hospitality sector to support Indonesia’s main tourism destination program. However, Sri Mulyani said that this needs to be supported by air transportation infrastructure.
Lastly, there are also suggestions from the US-ABC in the health sector, namely the desire to establish partnerships with state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and the private sector in the pharmaceutical sector and increase sustainable health financing.
Alongside the economic cooperation, the meeting also underscored the importance of addressing cybersecurity threats through partnerships.
Moreover, according to President Jokowi, Indonesia is located at the center of geopolitical upheaval that needs to increase and strengthen global cooperation with all parties.
