Indonesian Ambassador to Kuwait Lena Maryana and Kuwaiti Minister of Social, Family and Children Affairs Dr. Amthal Hadi Al-Huwailah at the cake cutting ceremony (right) Indonesian women dressed in bright colors deliver a scintillating performance during the ceremony.

KUWAIT CITY, November 7: Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Kuwait Lena Maryana praised Indonesian-Kuwaiti relations, saying that cooperation between the two countries is constantly growing in many areas at the bilateral, regional levels and international. Maryana made the statement during the celebration of the 79th Indonesian Independence Day and the 56th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Kuwait, officially established on February 28, 1968. The celebration was held recently at the Regency Hotel in the presence of the Minister of Social Affairs, Families and Children. Affairs Dr. Amthal Hadi Al-Huwailah and a large number of heads of diplomatic missions present.

Maryana also announced that the Indonesian Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Forum will be held from November 7 to 9 with the support of the Central Bank of Indonesia. She said Kuwait’s investments in Indonesia had increased over the past five years, according to data from the Indonesian Investment Coordination Board. She added that in 2019, Kuwait’s investments amounted to $145,700 and recorded $480,500 in 2023. “In the first half of 2024, the total volume of Kuwaiti investments amounted to $132,800. Both countries must redouble their efforts to increase Kuwaiti investments in Indonesia,” she said. She confirmed that the oil and gas sector still dominates Kuwait’s investments in Indonesia.

“Recently, the Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC) acquired two major blocks in the first tender in Indonesia in 2024. The first one is in the Amanah operating area (land) in Sumatra province South, and the second in the Melati exploitation area (land and sea) in the provinces of Southeast Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi. Kuwait is a strategic trade partner for Indonesia, so we continue to work to increase our trade volume with Kuwait,” she explained. She continued by specifying that in 2023, the volume of trade between the two countries had reached 488.1 million dollars.

“As of July 2024, the trade volume reached $304.4 million, an increase of 4.83 percent compared to the same period in 2023. We are working hard with the Kuwaiti government and businessmen to increase our bilateral trade. Indonesia has strong capabilities to develop its oil and gas industry. PT Bukaka Teknik Utama, one of Indonesia’s leading private companies, is ready to enter the Kuwaiti market with a pump (Pompa Angguk) and passenger boarding bridge (Garbarata). PT Bukaka has a strong domestic market in Indonesia, as well as an overseas market in India and Oman. We hope he can enter Kuwait soon.

She pointed out that as part of efforts to increase the volume of bilateral trade, Indonesia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) agreed on July 31, 2024 to begin negotiations on the free trade agreement Indonesia-GCC (IGCC FTA). In terms of cultural cooperation, she said: “We are very optimistic that the good relations between Indonesia and Kuwait, especially in preserving the culture and heritage of the two countries, will continue and strengthen. As the most popular “halal” tourist destination, Indonesia always welcomes Kuwaitis to visit and experience the beautiful places with warm hospitality. She confirmed that the Kuwaiti government offers two scholarships to Indonesian students at Kuwait University every year, hoping that this number will increase in the future given that the country receives at least 500 applications every year.

“To explore more cooperation opportunities, the two countries decided to hold the second bilateral cooperation meeting in Jakarta next year. The first round took place in Kuwait in 2019,” she added. Regarding the Indonesian community in Kuwait, she said Kuwait is now home to more than 5,000 Indonesians. “Some of them spend most of their time in Kuwait. Most of them work in the healthcare, oil, gas, hospitality and manufacturing sectors,” she revealed. She expressed her deep gratitude to the Kuwaiti government for its full support of the Indonesian government’s efforts to ensure better protection for all Indonesians in Kuwait.

By Inaas Awadh Al-Seyassah/Arab Times staff