UAE Achieved Outstanding Development Over 5 Decades: Indonesian Ambassador

ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 12th Apr, 2021) Husin Bagis, Indonesian Ambassador to the UAE, stated that the UAE has achieved outstanding development over the past five decades and has become one of the most advanced countries in the world, due to its distinguished strategic vision based on foreseeing the future.

In an interview with the Emirates news Agency (WAM), Bagis noted that the UAE and Indonesia have close bilateral ties and are keen to reinforce their overall cooperation.

"Today, we can sense the profound ties between the two countries and their leaderships as we celebrate the inauguration of the "Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Elevated Toll Road" in Indonesia, which is the longest and fastest road in the country," he said.

"This year, we established the foundation stone of the "Sheikh Zayed Mosque" in Solo, Central Java, and we are proud of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to build a mosque in the Embassy District of Abu Dhabi after Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, and renaming Al Maarid Street after him, in recognition of the strong friendship between the two countries," he added.

On the UAE’s recent announcement of investment, through its public and private entities, with the Indonesian Investment Authority worth US$10 billion, Bagis affirmed that this significant investment underscores the close ties between the two countries and their leaderships, stressing that it will help highlight the mutual benefits of their commercial cooperation.

Concerning the value of trade between the two countries, he explained that it has bypassed some $16 billion over five years from 2016 to 2020, stressing that the UAE is a key centre of the middle East market, and Indonesia is looking forward to increasing its non-oil exports to the country in the coming period.

On the projects launched by the two friendly countries, Bagis said that the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) is continuing its key renewable energy project in Indonesia, noting that it has inaugurated, in cooperation with the Indonesian Electricity Company, the largest floating solar energy plant, with a capacity of 145 megawatts, in Southeast Asia located in Sirata, West Java.

Since the signing of an energy purchase agreement in Abu Dhabi in 2020, the project is on the right track, he added, noting that it has helped provide advanced services and created job opportunities for the Indonesian people.

"Masdar recently expressed an interest in implementing a renewable energy project in Indonesia with a capacity of 1 gigawatt, in line with the Indonesian Government’s goal of ensuring that renewable energy accounts for 23 percent of the country’s energy mix by 2025," he further said.

On the cooperation between the two countries in addressing the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, he highlighted the fact that they are closely cooperating to contain the pandemic’s repercussions and are exchanging scientific and medical expertise.

Bagis also stressed that the UAE dispatched planes loaded with medical supplies to Indonesia to help address the pandemic, affirming that Indonesia is a key source of food for the UAE during this period.

He then congratulated President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and the government and people of the UAE on the occasion of the country’s golden jubilee celebrations.

The UAE has accomplished key achievements over the past year, most notably the successful arrival of the Hope Probe to Mars and its success in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, he further added.

At the end of the interview, Bugis highlighted his country’s keenness to strengthen its ties with the UAE, stressing that it is looking forward to participating in Expo 2020 Dubai, which will be an ideal opportunity for Indonesia to establish partnerships with other countries and support the global efforts to achieve social development and prosperity.