Indonesia explores bilateral sports collaboration with Saudi Arabia

Samarinda, The Gulf Observer: Representatives from the Indonesian Youth and Sports Ministry, alongside officials from East Kalimantan Province’s Youth and Sports Office (Dispora), embarked on a delegation to Saudi Arabia with the primary objective of exploring avenues for collaboration in the domains of youth development and sports. This diplomatic visit was orchestrated to engage in substantive discussions aimed at fostering mutual cooperation between the two nations in nurturing youth initiatives and advancing sports-related endeavors.

During their working visit, the Indonesian delegates had the opportunity to hold two meetings, one with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah on December 17 and one with Indonesian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Abdul Aziz Ahmad in Riyadh on December 20.

“We discussed cooperation opportunities in a meeting with Indonesian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia during our working visit to Saudi Arabia from December 17-20, 2023,” Head of Youth Development at the East Kalimantan Dispora, Rasman, noted in a press release in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, on Sunday.

According to Rasman, the delegates, chaired by the ministry’s deputy for youth empowerment M. Asrorun Ni’am Sholeh, were received by Ambassador Ahmad at the Indonesian Embassy in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

He said the meeting was held to talk about possible measures for following up the memorandum of understanding signed by the Indonesian Youth and Sports Ministry and the Ministry of Sport of Saudi Arabia in October this year.

Ambassador Ahmad warmly welcomed the delegates’ initiative and told the delegates that Indonesia and Saudi Arabia wield the potential to carry out youth exchange programs, including ones involving scouts and volunteers.

He also said he believes that the two countries can work together to improve entrepreneurial skills of youths and ensure protection for students at the Indonesian School of Riyadh.

Furthermore, the ambassador noted that Indonesia and Saudi Arabia can forge cooperation in various sport branches, such as badminton, sepak takraw, as well as pencak silat.

Plenty of coaches of pencak silat from Indonesia have come to Saudi Arabia not only to train local people, but also to establish clubs and organize various matches in the country, he pointed out.