Indonesia, UAE Discuss Enhanced Cooperation in Education and Investment

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Vice President of Indonesia, Ma’ruf Amin, engaged in discussions with the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei. The talks aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation across various sectors, with a particular focus on education and investment.

During the meeting, Vice President Amin expressed his appreciation for the growing collaboration between Indonesia and the UAE in the field of education. He highlighted the noteworthy milestone achieved with the groundbreaking of the Mohamed Bin Zayed College for Future Studies in Yogyakarta on January 31, 2024. The collaboration between Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities (MBZUH) and Nahdlatul Ulama University (UNU) in Yogyakarta is seen as a concrete step towards promoting peace and humanity.

Vice President Amin expressed his hopes that such collaborations would extend beyond universities to encompass Islamic boarding schools (pesantren), making them new centers for civilization. Indonesia, with thousands of pesantren, sees an opportunity for a broader societal impact through educational partnerships.

In the realm of investment, Vice President Amin commended the increasing cooperation, particularly in the mining sector. Given Indonesia’s rich natural resources, he emphasized the need for substantial investments and advanced technology to harness and process these resources effectively.

He also underscored the potential for developing the sharia economy and finance in Indonesia, inviting UAE investors to explore opportunities in the country’s sharia industry and banking sectors.

Religious moderation and world peace were also key topics of discussion. Vice President Amin welcomed the UAE Government’s efforts in promoting peace and humanity through initiatives like the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. Notably, two Indonesian Islamic organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, were selected as award winners, with the ceremony scheduled for February 5, 2024, in Abu Dhabi.

Minister Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei emphasized the importance of the Mohamed Bin Zayed College for Future Studies in Yogyakarta as a crucial component in supporting Indonesia’s human resources development. He reaffirmed the success of various forms of cooperation between the UAE and Indonesia, particularly in investment, emphasizing food security and halal food product development.

In a press statement, Minister Al Mazrouei highlighted UAE’s investment priorities in Indonesia, including fulfilling basic needs for food security and exploring investment potential in the development of Indonesia’s new capital city, Nusantara.

The discussions concluded with a shared commitment to fostering and expanding bilateral ties across these vital sectors.