Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono Discusses Economic Cooperation To Education With New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters

JAKARTA - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Sugiono discussed economic and educational cooperation with New Zealand's Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters in the 12th meeting of the Indonesian Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) New Zealand at the Pancasila Building, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Jakarta, Friday.

The 12th JMC meeting focused on evaluating the first year of implementing the 2025'2029 Action Plan which was agreed upon at the 11th JMC in Auckland, as well as discussing future cooperation programs.

The two Foreign Ministers affirmed their commitment to strengthening a comprehensive partnership within the framework of the action plan.

"This step is important to strengthen bilateral relations and realize the goals contained in the 2025'2029 Action Plan," said Foreign Minister Sugiono, Friday, June 13.

New Zealand's cooperation covers various fields, including economy, trade, investment and education.

In the economic sector, the two Foreign Ministers agreed to push for a more balanced and sustainable trade to achieve a bilateral trade target worth 6 billion New Zealand dollars by 2029.

One of the concrete efforts is to streamline import policies and increase collaboration in the food and agricultural sectors.

"I also want to express my appreciation for the support from the New Zealand Government for the Free Nutrition Food program launched by President Prabowo," said the Indonesian Foreign Minister.

Furthermore, the two Foreign Ministers also discussed cooperation between communities. In particular, Foreign Minister Sugiono appreciated the increase in the quota for the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Program (MNZSP) for Indonesia.

"I hope that the signing of the Arrangement on Education Cooperation can further support the development of Indonesian human resources, especially the younger generation," said Foreign Minister Sugiono.

Next, cooperation in the field of sports is also in the spotlight, including through the development of athlete capacity.

"Rugby is one of New Zealand's sports icons and I believe a sport like rugby can be a strong bridge of friendship between our younger generation," said Foreign Minister Sugiono.

In addition to signing cooperation in the fields of education, Indonesia and New Zealand also agreed on Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for halal standards, which will strengthen cooperation in the halal industry and meet consumer needs in both countries.

In addition to domestic relations, Foreign Minister Sugiono and Foreign Minister Peters also emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration in the Pacific, including through regional forums such as the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

"As a country that both have geographical closeness to the Pacific region, we have a shared responsibility to maintain regional stability, prosperity and resilience," said Foreign Minister Sugiono.

"Indonesia and New Zealand are close neighbors, and therefore, I would like to reaffirm our shared commitment to building a more resilient and peaceful future for the region and world," concluded Foreign Minister Sugiono.

It is known, JMC RI-New Zealand is a level forum of the Minister of Foreign Affairs which is an important forum for reviewing the progress of bilateral cooperation and encouraging closer collaboration at the regional and global levels.