Indonesia expects additional investment from the United Arab Emirates following talks between President Prabowo Subianto and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The discussions took place during a visit to Abu Dhabi earlier this week.
Relations between Indonesia and the UAE expanded during the administration of former President Joko Widodo. In 2021, Indonesia secured investment commitments from the UAE valued at more than USD 46 billion. The recent visit by President Prabowo included Foreign Minister Sugiono and Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia. The trip aimed to strengthen cooperation under the Indonesia UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
According to a statement from Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, the meeting focused on increasing investment and strengthening bilateral cooperation. Officials stated that the UAE intends to expand its investment presence in Indonesia, although no specific amount was disclosed.
Indonesia and the UAE signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in 2022, and the agreement entered into force in 2023. It was Indonesia’s first free trade agreement with a Gulf country and the UAE’s first with a Southeast Asian nation. The agreement removes about 99% of existing tariffs and includes provisions to increase Indonesia’s services exports to the UAE by 6%. It also includes mutual recognition of halal certification.
Bilateral trade between the two countries reached more than USD 6.4 billion in 2025, an increase of nearly 27% from about USD 5 billion in the previous year. Discussions also covered cooperation in renewable energy, technology, artificial intelligence, sustainability, food security, and culture.
(Source: Arab News)
