Luhut Meets US Foreign Minister Blinken To Discuss Strategic Cooperation

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan meets US Secretary of State Antony Blinken/PHOTO VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan received a visit from the United States Minister of Foreign Affairs Antony Blinken, as well as President Joe Biden's "right hand man" in his office.

During Blinken's first visit to Indonesia, the two discussed six strategic partnerships in the fields of health, investment, trade, infrastructure, climate change, and digital transformation which are currently in the spotlight during the pandemic.

"I conveyed to Mr. Blinken that Indonesia today is changing from being known and moving so fast to taking advantage of the potential we have. I explained that we want to be part of the global supply chain in the downstream sector of natural resources and I also invite them to join into this value-added project," he said, as quoted by Antara, Tuesday, December 14.

According to Luhut, in addition to infrastructure and economic recovery, Blinken has a strong commitment to establishing partnerships with Indonesia, especially in environmental conservation.

Therefore, Luhut also emphasized Indonesia's commitment to always maintain its commitment to the Paris Agreement and Net Zero Emissions with a focus on policies that care about climate change and emission reductions.

These policies include the restoration of mangroves and peatlands, as well as the mechanism for an energy transition from fossil fuels to new and renewable energy (EBT).

Luhut emphasized that with economic transformation efforts that focus on developing value-added industries, Indonesia will grow stronger after the pandemic.

"Therefore, we will always be a strategic partner for all countries that open up opportunities for cooperation with Indonesia, including the United States," he said.

Luhut also hopes that there will be room for improvement, like a strategic partnership between the two countries. He also hopes for a good partnership for a real impact on the people of Indonesia.

"And like a strategic partnership, of course there will be room for improvement. In accordance with President Joko Widodo's mandate to his ministers that a good and respectful partnership relationship will always be pursued as long as it has great benefits for the welfare of all Indonesian people," concluded Luhut.