Joko Widodo in UAE: Let’s unpack a special relationship UAE and Indonesia share

Indonesian President Joko Widodo landed at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in Jakarta on Thursday after concluding his official visit to the UAE. He made the most of his state visit to the Emirates, with the objective of intensifying the UAE-Indonesia relationship.

Widodo and his UAE counterpart Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed met on July 17 to take a note of various aspects of bilateral cooperation, especially in the fields of economy, food security, investment, infrastructure, health, education and climate action.

Indonesian media outlets have hailed the recent visit of the Indonesian leader to the Gulf state, highlighting the strong relations both countries share and the UAE’s position as a significant partner for Indonesia in the vast Middle East.

Depth of UAE-Indonesia bilateral relations

The UAE and Indonesia have been sharing a deep and burgeoning relationship for several decades. Both are Muslim-majority countries. Indonesia remains the most populous Muslim-majority nation, housing more than 270 million people on over 17,500 islands.

Both countries believe in a rules-based order and retain an independent voice and outlook on the global stage. Both are strong supporters of the Palestinians’ right to statehood, and both have also taken a strong position against extremism.

In November 2022, Sheikh Mohamed and Joko Widodo attended the inauguration of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Indonesia. Named after the UAE Founding Father, the mosque – a smaller replica of the one in the UAE – symbolises their depth of bilateral relations.

Such a high level of commonality is usually rare

The UAE and Indonesia represent countries that may be far apart geographically but have much in common. Both nations share significant similarities in their domestic affairs. Like the Emirates, Indonesia has profusely invested into vital megaprojects.

Indonesia has been developing its tourism sector, putting substantial efforts into ensuring food security and trying to future-proof its infrastructure to mitigate the effects of climate change. Both are open to the global stage but focus on religious and cultural heritage too.

Such a high level of commonality is usually rare for countries in different regions. But the human connection shared by both countries is a crucial factor. Thousands of Indonesians reside in the UAE, adding to the rich cosmopolitan culture that exists in the Gulf state.

UAE-Indonesia economic cooperation after Cepa deal

The UAE and Indonesia signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in 2022, marking a major milestone in the UAE-Indonesia economic cooperation. Since then, both countries have been recording sizeable increase in bilateral trade value.

The deal is aimed at increasing bilateral trade to $10 billion in a span of five years. In 2014, the year President Widodo took office, the volume of bilateral non-oil trade stood at $2.7 billion. But the same figure reached $4.4 billion in 2023.

The Indonesian leader highlighted the importance of enhancing collaboration, especially in clean energy, environmental protection and climate action. He noted his objective to continue to strengthen bilateral relations in the coming years.

UAE and Indonesia ink 8 vital deals

1. Deal to install solar energy systems on industrial and commercial rooftops in Indonesia

2. MoU on public budget management

3. MoU on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy

4. MoU on smart payment systems

5. MoU on the establishment of Mohamed bin Zayed-Joko Widodo Mangrove Research Centre

6. MoU on cooperation in real estate development, tourism investment and management of airports and hotels

7. Notable agreement on maritime patrol aircraft

8. Dubai International Financial Centre and Nusantara Capital Authority ink a deal