Jakarta—The governments of Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) affirmed their joint commitment to strengthening bilateral relations in the energy and mineral resources sectors. This cooperation was marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to Abu Dhabi on Saturday, November 23.
President Prabowo emphasised that this strategic partnership is part of efforts to create energy self-sufficiency in Indonesia. “We are optimistic that, with this partnership, Indonesia will become a pioneer in a sustainable energy sector that is beneficial not only nationally but also globally,” President Prabowo said.
The agreement, which aims to accelerate energy transition, develop new renewable energy, and encourage low-emission technologies, was signed by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia and UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Mohammed Faraj Al Mazrouei.
According to Bahlil, this MoU is an important step to strengthen the strategic relationship between the two countries, especially in transforming the energy sector towards a more sustainable direction, in line with Indonesia’s vision of net-zero emissions by 2060.
The cooperation covers various areas, such as policy information exchange, clean energy project financing, innovative technology transfer, and human resource development. “With the UAE’s support, we can accelerate the development of low-emission technologies, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen. This is a concrete step to answer future energy challenges,” he added.
The Indonesia-UAE collaboration also focuses on developing renewable energy, decarbonisation initiatives, and reducing emissions in the oil and gas sector, both upstream and downstream. Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei said that the UAE is ready to become Indonesia’s strategic partner in leading the energy transformation in the region.
“We see Indonesia’s great potential to become the centre of renewable energy in Southeast Asia. Together, we can create a real impact on the world,” Suhail said.
In its implementation, the cooperation will include the development of biofuels and green hydrogen and the integration of innovative technologies to improve energy efficiency. In addition, workforce training in the energy sector is a priority to create human resources ready for energy transformation.
The cooperation also allows business entities from both countries to collaborate in the mineral supply chain. The main focus includes integrated mineral processing in the midstream and downstream sectors and low-carbon technology-based manufacturing. (Hartatik)
Banner photo: President Prabowo Subianto holds a bilateral meeting with the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ), at Qasr Al Watn, Abu Dhabi, on Saturday, November 23, 2024. (Photo: BPMI Setpres/Muchlis Jr) ©2024 Cabinet Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia
