Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, led the first Joint Commission Meeting between the Republic of Indonesia and the UAE at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (09/11).
In the meeting, both Foreign Ministers discussed the progress of cooperation between the two countries, including addressing the worsening conflict and humanitarian situation in Gaza.
“Indonesia and the UAE share the same concern about the humanitarian crisis in Palestine. We hope for an immediate ceasefire, and humanitarian assistance can continue to reach Gaza,” said Foreign Minister Retno.
In addition to the Palestine issue, the Joint Commission meeting discussed the progress of cooperation between the two countries in various sectors, including trade and investment, energy, climate change, as well as science and technology. Indonesia and the UAE also agreed on several proposals for cooperation, covering education, culture, tourism, religion, health, labour, and more.
Furthermore, Foreign Minister Retno conveyed that this first Joint Commission is a historic milestone in strengthening the bilateral relations and cooperation between Indonesia and the UAE.
Indonesian Ambassador to the UAE, Husin Bagis, expressed hope that the Joint Commission could strengthen the closeness between the two countries in various fields, from the economic sector to people-to-people contact, fostering closeness at the leadership and community levels.
As part of the visit to the UAE, Foreign Minister Retno inaugurated the new building of the Indonesian Embassy in Abu Dhabi. The inauguration was attended by senior UAE officials, including the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Al Mazroui, the Minister of State, Ahmad Al Sayegh, the UAE Ambassador to Indonesia, Abdulla Salem Aldhaheri, and the Director of Asia and the Pacific at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nooh Al Hammadi. During the inspection of the Embassy building, Minister Retno had the opportunity to meet with Indonesian citizens, including mothers and children, at the Shelter in the Indonesian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
The construction of the KBRI Abu Dhabi building was carried out with direct support from the UAE President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, starting in 2020. The construction was completed at the end of November 2022, with the handover to the Indonesian Government taking place on November 22, 2022.
Source: MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
