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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met with Republic of Indonesia President Joko Widodo in Sydney to discuss key defence, commerce, education, and diplomatic initiatives.
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Both leaders welcomed progress made towards negotiation of a treaty-level Defence Cooperation Agreement, bilateral air services agreement and discussed Australia and Indonesia’s shared vision for an open, stable, and prosperous region during the Australia-Indonesia Annual Leaders’ Meeting on 5 July.
They also discussed new initiatives to improve visa offerings for Indonesian businesspeople and frequent travellers, mutual professional recognition for engineers, and new pathways for skills exchange under the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
Prime Minister Albanese reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to ASEAN centrality and continued support for Indonesia’s priorities as the chair of ASEAN in 2023 under the Australia-Indonesia defence and security relationship.
“I thank President Widodo for joining me in Sydney today for warm and productive discussions at the Annual Leaders’ Meeting,” he said.
“Australia and Indonesia, working together, are committed to meeting the challenges and opportunities of the future.
“Indonesia is a country of vital importance to Australia: its prosperity, security, and stability makes the Indo-Pacific region more prosperous, more secure, and more stable.”
Prime Minister Albanese announced a $50 million initiative under the Australia-Indonesia Climate and Infrastructure Partnership to attract private climate finance to Indonesia.
Both leaders have welcomed a plan announced by Export Finance Australia to establish a US$200 million capital financing facility with PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara to support Indonesia’s energy transition.
The pair also discussed opportunities for both countries to transition towards electric vehicles on the road towards net zero emissions, increased economic integration, two-way investment, commercial deals between Australian and Indonesian business across the health, mining, and digital economy sectors.
“Australia sees Indonesia’s success as pivotal to our region’s success. Indonesia’s prosperity, security, and stability makes the Indo-Pacific region more prosperous, more secure, and more stable,” Prime Minister Albanese said.
“As Australians feel the pressure from global economic challenges, it’s important that we’re investing in trading relationships to grow our economy, support good jobs, and strengthen our supply chains. And of course, there are few more important trading partners to us than Indonesia.”
Prime Minister Albanese announced a new program to enhance the “study in Australia” experience for Indonesians and new avenues for Indonesians to study at the growing number of Australian campuses in Indonesia. He also launched a revamped program to encourage more Australian students to study and learn about Indonesian language and culture.
Western Sydney University, Deakin University, and Central Queensland University have recently announced intention to open campuses in Indonesia, joining Monash University that opened a campus in Jakarta in 2022. More than 200,000 Indonesian students have studied at Australian tertiary institutions.
“President Widodo and I also discussed education links and agreed on a range of new initiatives to support professional mobility, upskill employees and build Australian-Indonesian literacy,” Prime Minister Albanese said.
“Building on the success of Monash University’s Campus in Indonesia, I’m delighted to announce that Western Sydney University, Deakin University, and Central Queensland University will soon join Monash to bring Australia’s world-class tertiary education to Indonesian students and professionals.”
Prime Minister Albanese will meet with President Widodo again in September for the East Asia Summit and ASEAN-Australia Summit in Indonesia.
“First, Indonesia and Australia must build a more substantive and strategic economic cooperation through the joint production of EV batteries,” President Widodo said.
“The second on trade, since Indonesia-Australia CEPA entered into force, the trade volume has increased by 90 per cent. This will continue to be optimised through cooperation in mutual recognition agreement on fisheries product, quarantine, and especially for fruits and increasing the capacities of SMEs.
“Third on carbon emission reduction, we will focus on invitation of cooperation on the development of carbon capture and storage as well as green energy-oriented smelters in Indonesia.
“The fourth on the construction of the Nusantara capital city, Indonesia encourages Australia’s private sector and National Capital Authority of Australia to work together with the Nusantara Capital City Authority on regional and global issues.
“I conveyed Indonesia’s position in ASEAN is clear. We want the Indo-Pacific to become a stable and peaceful region that focuses on collaboration and concrete cooperation.
“I appreciate Australia’s support towards Indonesia’s ASEAN chairmanship, and I invite Australia to enhance partnership in the South-Pacific through bilateral cooperation and to participate in the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Forum. And lastly, I look forward to Prime Minister Albanese’s visit to Jakarta this September.”
