Indonesia, Singapore Sign 26 Cooperation Agreements at Annual Leaders’ Retreat

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Monday reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening cooperation with Indonesia in the areas of energy, human resource development, and defence institutional relations during the Indonesia-Singapore Annual Leaders’ Retreat.

Addressing a joint press conference with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Prime Minister Wong said both leaders had agreed to expand bilateral cooperation to create greater opportunities for their citizens, enhance resilience, and improve the competitiveness of both countries.

“The commitment to elevating our cooperation is reflected in the various agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) we signed today,” Wong said.

He noted that energy cooperation would remain a key pillar of the partnership, stressing that recent developments in the Middle East had highlighted the importance of energy security and diversifying energy sources.

The Singaporean premier acknowledged Indonesia’s significant potential in renewable energy development, adding that both countries would expand collaboration on solar energy projects in Morowali, Central Sulawesi, and advance cross-border electricity trading initiatives.

In addition to energy, the two leaders agreed to strengthen people-to-people exchanges through initiatives such as a student exchange programme between Singaporean schools and Indonesia’s Garuda School.

Wong also emphasized the importance of enhancing institutional cooperation, particularly between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), saying the close military relationship continued to reinforce mutual trust between the two nations.

He praised President Subianto for his role in deepening defence ties during his tenure as Indonesia’s defence minister from 2019 to 2024.

Earlier, President Subianto welcomed Prime Minister Wong at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta for the annual leaders’ retreat.

During the meeting, Indonesia and Singapore signed 26 cooperation documents, including 18 government-to-government agreements and Memorandums of Understanding, as well as eight business-to-business agreements, further strengthening bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors.