President Prabowo and President Lukashenko Prepare a New Road Map for RI-Belarus, Focus on Food and Energy

JAKARTA - Indonesia and Belarus relations have entered a new phase. President Prabowo Subianto and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko will launch a roadmap or roadmap for bilateral cooperation that covers various sectors, with a main focus on food security and energy security.

Minister of Foreign Affairs (Menlu) Sugiono said the launch of the roadmap was a follow-up to President Prabowo's visit to Belarus on July 15. According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, both countries see that there are still many potential areas of cooperation that can be developed.

"Our bilateral relations are entering a new phase that is more intensive," Sugiono told reporters at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Thursday, July 2.

He explained that one of the driving forces for the new relationship was the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Indonesia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Belarus is one of the countries that have ratified the agreement.

The EAEU is an economic bloc consisting of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. The agreement is expected to open wider trade and investment access.

According to Sugiono, the cooperation to be prioritized is in line with President Prabowo's program, especially in the fields of food security and energy security.

Indonesia and Belarus will also strengthen cooperation in the provision of agricultural products, including fertilizer raw materials needed by Indonesia.

This visit is Lukashenko's second visit to Indonesia after his first visit in 2013.