Menko Airlangga And The Minister Of Energy And Infrastructure Of The United Arab Emirates Discuss Energy Sector Cooperation

The government is actively working to maximize its energy potential and ensure that the energy needs of the public are met. One of the efforts includes collaborating with partner countries, not only to strengthen the energy sector but also to enhance the welfare of the community. Recently, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, welcomed the visit of the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure from the United Arab Emirates, Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, at the Ali Wardhana Building in Jakarta on Friday, January 31, 2025. Suhail's visit aimed to discuss potential strategic energy cooperation between the two nations. He noted that Indonesia is a key partner for the United Arab Emirates.

With the economic cooperation agreement under the Indonesia-United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (I-UAE CEPA), Suhail emphasized that there are many sectors for collaboration, particularly in energy development. He proposed that both countries establish a champion program in the energy sector, which could include developing large power plants with a capacity of up to 100 gigawatts (GW) and building data centers. "We need a task force to ensure that the energy cooperation between our countries is implemented," he stated, as reported by ekon.go.id. In response, Minister Airlangga expressed his support for accelerating the implementation of the I-UAE CEPA agreement. "We must speed up our cooperation and begin exploring strategic sectors, including the Andaman Sea Project and the development of data centers in Batam or Bintan," he said.

He highlighted that energy is a key focus area for both Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. Previously, there was a collaboration between the two countries on the development of a Solar Power Plant (PLTS) in Cirata, West Java.

The development of the solar power plant is a collaboration between PLN and Masdar, a clean energy company from the United Arab Emirates. Currently, the Cirata Solar Power Plant generates 145 Megawatt peak (MWp) of energy.

Additionally, Suhail outlined his internal plans to create a comprehensive proposal for the collaboration on bauxite and gas downstream development. This commodity development is crucial for industries, particularly aluminum production and the construction of large-capacity power plants. At the end of the meeting, both ministers agreed to follow up and implement the I-UAE CEPA, explore strategic sectors, and ensure a favorable business climate for entrepreneurs in both countries.

Accompanying Minister Airlangga at the meeting were Edi Pambudi, Deputy for Cooperation and Investment Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, and Elen Setiadi, Deputy for Energy and Mineral Resources Coordination at the same ministry.

Tag: Airlangga Hartarto PLTS United Arab Emirates