For the G20 Summit in Bali, the UAE President goes to Indonesia

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has arrived in the Indonesian city of Solo today.

President Joko Widodo of Indonesia greeted President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed and the accompanying group upon their arrival at the city’s airport.

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Special Affairs Advisor at the Presidential Court.

A number of Indonesian government ministers and top officials were also present at the reception, together with the UAE Ambassador to Indonesia, Abdulla Salem Al Dhaheri, and members of the embassy staff.

Thousands of school children lined the road to welcome His Highness, waving the flags of both countries as they greeted the president of the United Arab Emirates.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, will attend the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, on November 15 to 16, 2022.

The 17th G20 Leaders of State and Government Summit, chaired by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, will convene heads of state and government from the world’s leading economies to discuss significant global concerns.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed was asked to attend by Indonesia, who now holds the G20 presidency. During the two-day summit, he will lead a high-level UAE delegation that will participate in discussions and activities. Priority debate topics will include energy and food security, climate action, and sustainable development that enables nations and their people to grow and prosper.

The delegation accompanying His Highness during the visit will consist of the following individuals: H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Special Affairs Advisor.

President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Arshad Rasheed, has expressed his delight in the UAE’s participation in the G20 Leaders’ Summit sessions, hailing the UAE and Indonesia’s collaboration and strong relations.

Rasheed stated his desire to attract more Emirati investments to his country in a remark to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.

From 2012 to 2021, total non-oil trade between the UAE and Indonesia amounted to $24 billion (AED86.9 billion).

During the first nine months of this year, the volume of intra-non-oil trade increased by 33% compared to the same period in 2021 and by 104% compared to the same period in 2020.

The UAE is one of Indonesia’s top 20 major trading partners and the second-largest in the Arab world.

In conjunction with the Business 20 (B20) Summit, which is part of the G20 Summit, the Ministry of Economy co-hosted the UAE Business Forum with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Saturday to discuss potential areas of cooperation. The two nations signed sixteen cooperation agreements between their respective companies.

UAE and Indonesia’s Friendship

Monday, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Indonesian President Joko Widodo inaugurated the new Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the Indonesian city of Solo, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM).

Upon entering the mosque for the first time, the two leaders did a “greetings prayer” and signed a commemorative plaque that will be mounted on the Mihrab — a prayer niche built in mosques to indicate the direction of the qibla.

According to WAM, the mosque resembles Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and was constructed utilizing indigenous materials and traditional Indonesian patterns.

“It was an honor to accompany President Joko Widodo in Solo, Indonesia for the opening of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. The mosque, named after the founding father of the United Arab Emirates, promotes his principles of peace and kindness and highlights the longstanding relations between our two countries,” Sheikh Mohamed stated.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono also conveyed his gratitude to Sheikh Mohamed for his initiative in establishing the mosque.

Under the UAE-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Deal, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a new free trade agreement in July of 2022. (IUAE-CEPA). In Abu Dhabi, UAE President Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed and Indonesian President Joko Widodo were present for the signing.

The aim of the free trade agreement is to expand bilateral trade from $4 billion in 2021 to $10 billion in 2030, up from $4 billion in 2021. With exports to Indonesia totaling around US$2.1 billion and imports from the archipelago nation exceeding US$1.9 billion, the UAE experienced a trade surplus.

This is the UAE’s third trade agreement this year, following the CEPAs with Israel and India. The financial and tourism powerhouse of the Middle East is attempting to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons and strengthen commercial relations with the rapidly expanding economies of Asia and Africa. The UAE’s ultimate objective is to become an unparalleled center for finance, trade, industry, and business serving the Middle East and beyond.

Thani Al Zeyoudi, the Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Trade, predicted that the trade agreement with Indonesia would generate 55,000 highly-skilled jobs in the UAE by 2030.

In both nations, ratification is expected to be finalized by the end of 2022.