Erick Thohir: The UAE Is Interested In Increasing Cooperation With Indonesia In The Health To Energy Sector

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir held a meeting with UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Mohamed Al Mazroei and his staff. The meeting also discussed increasing investment cooperation between the UAE and SOEs.

Erick said that the UAE had expressed its interest in increasing various collaborations with SOEs for the health, food and energy sectors. He said the Ministry of SOEs had also prioritized the three sectors from the start.

"The presence of the COVID-19 pandemic has opened our eyes and is a momentum for us to strengthen food, health and energy security," he said in an official statement, quoted Wednesday, March 9.

Erick also explained that SOEs currently have a number of holdings, such as food holdings, pharmaceutical holdings, hospital holdings, and also holding Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC) which are open to cooperate with the UAE.

Erick also hopes that the collaboration with the UAE will not only have a positive impact on Indonesia in building food, health and energy security, but will also be able to increase the competitiveness of SOEs in the international arena.

"UAE will continue to increase investment cooperation with SOEs for health, food and energy independence. We hope this will be a mutually beneficial cooperation," he said.

During the meeting, Erick also conveyed that the consolidated net profit of SOEs in 2021 would reach IDR 90 trillion or a sharp jump compared to 2020 which was IDR 13 trillion.

According to Erick, the success of the SOE transformation carried out by state-owned companies to record positive performance, has boosted the trust of the UAE to increase cooperation with SOEs.

"Minister Suhail Mohamed Al Mazroei is very enthusiastic to hear the explanation of the transformation of SOE," said Erick.

"This is an extraordinary increase that has received direct appreciation from the UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Mohamed Al Mazroei," he continued.

For your information, this meeting was also attended by Deputy Minister of BUMN I Pahala Nugraha Mansury and Deputy Minister of BUMN II Kartika Wirjoatmodjo.