RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Indonesia and Kuwait are deepening cooperation in energy, trade, and investment, positioning bilateral relations as a key pillar in addressing global economic uncertainty.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, emphasized that the partnership, built over more than five decades, provides a strong foundation for expanding collaboration in strategic sectors.

“Both countries have agreed to continue cooperating on energy security amid geopolitical uncertainty,” Minister Airlangga said while receiving Kuwaiti Ambassador to Indonesia Khalid Jassim Alyassin in Jakarta on Friday, June 19, 2026, as quoted on the ministry’s official website.

The meeting followed earlier bilateral discussions, with Ambassador Khalid presenting his Letter of Credence to President Prabowo Subianto in November 2025. Both sides discussed strengthening trade flows, boosting investment, and expanding cooperation in the energy sector.

Economic ties between the two countries have grown significantly. Indonesia–Kuwait trade in 2025 rose 10.69 percent to USD 606 million, up from USD 547.5 million the previous year. Kuwaiti investment in Indonesia also surged from USD 290,000 to USD 1.2 million, dominated by the oil and gas sector.

In the energy sector, the Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC) is actively involved in eight oil and gas exploration projects in Indonesia, including Buton Island, the Natuna Sea, East Kalimantan, and the Anambas Islands. These activities reinforce Indonesia’s role as a strategic partner in regional energy exploration.

Cooperation is supported by several legal frameworks, including the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Oil and Gas and Petrochemical Cooperation. Additional MoUs on the Joint Commission, Economic and Technical Cooperation, and Trade Cooperation have been in effect since 2007.

“The various MoUs between both countries demonstrate the significance of Indonesia’s role for Kuwait, particularly in the economic sector,” Ambassador Khalid said.

Looking ahead, the government aims to accelerate the implementation of all MoUs to deliver concrete benefits for national energy security and strengthen bilateral ties. Both parties are also pushing for the accelerated conclusion of the Indonesia–Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Free Trade Agreement, with completion targeted by the end of 2026. ***