Brazilian President Lula Calls for Renewal of 17-Year Strategic Partnership with Indonesia
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva underscored the importance of strengthening and revitalizing the 17-year strategic partnership between Indonesia and Brazil during his meeting with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the Merdeka Palace on Thursday.
“It is with great joy that I return to Indonesia after 17 years. In 2008, we established a strategic partnership, and since then, relations between the two countries have developed very positively,” President Lula stated during a tête-à-tête meeting with President Prabowo.
Lula described his state visit as a significant milestone in refreshing the strategic partnership between the two nations, which was first established in 2008. While acknowledging the positive trajectory of relations, he emphasized that the full potential of cooperation between the two countries had yet to be fully realized.
“We represent almost 500 million people — around 280 million from Indonesia and 210 million from Brazil. Both nations have strong developing economies,” he noted, stressing the need to capitalize on shared strengths to achieve greater progress.
The Brazilian leader highlighted the importance of expanding cooperation across a broad range of sectors, including politics, economics, social development, and scientific research. He also called for deeper collaboration in emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, data centers, and higher education partnerships.
“I come with high hopes of renewing our strategic partnership and exploring new agreements — not only in bilateral trade, but also in investment in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and data centers — to deepen collaboration in scientific and technological innovation,” Lula remarked.
He further emphasized that the combination of socially inclusive policies and technological innovation could serve as a powerful tool for improving the welfare of people in both countries.
President Lula arrived at the Merdeka Palace at around 10 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB), where he was welcomed with a state ceremony. The two leaders held a series of engagements, including a private meeting, a bilateral session between the Indonesian and Brazilian delegations, and the delivery of a joint statement.
Lula’s visit to Jakarta forms part of his broader tour of Southeast Asia and serves as a reciprocal visit following President Prabowo’s official trip to Brazil on July 9, 2025, where he met with President Lula at the Palácio do Planalto in Brasília.
