Indonesia, Canada’s Alberta Strengthen Energy Cooperation

RRI.CO.ID, Ottawa - Opportunities for energy cooperation between Indonesia and Canada are opening amid uncertainty in global oil supplies. Alberta, Canada’s largest oil-producing province, has expressed readiness to strengthen its strategic relationship with Indonesia through long-term investment and collaboration.

Indonesian Ambassador to Canada Muhsin Syihab noted that Alberta holds a key position in supporting Indonesia’s energy security. The province is considered strategic in light of Middle East conflicts that disrupt global energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

“As a key player in the Indo-Pacific region, Indonesia is a strategic partner for the Province of Alberta in building cooperation. This is also consistent with and will strengthen the Canadian government’s Indo-Pacific Strategy,” Ambassador Muhsin said in a statement in Ottawa on Thursday, May 14, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

According to the Indonesian Embassy in Ottawa, Alberta views Indonesia as a potential partner for expanding economic and energy cooperation. The global geopolitical landscape underscores the need for stable, sustainable alternative energy sources.

Alberta’s Minister of Energy and Minerals, Brian Jean, emphasized that his province is ready to cooperate to strengthen Indonesia’s energy security. He invited Indonesian state-owned enterprises to invest in Canada’s oil refinery sector to ensure long-term energy supplies from Alberta to Indonesia.

Beyond energy, both parties also discussed strengthening ties in higher education.

Ambassador Muhsin advocated for institutional cooperation between Indonesia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology and Alberta’s Ministry of Advanced Education as the foundation for inter-university collaboration.

This initiative received support from Alberta’s Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Myles McDougall, who stressed that academic cooperation is a crucial foundation for building sustainable Indonesia–Alberta relations.

Ambassador Muhsin also invited Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to make an official visit to Indonesia. “Indonesia is an important and strategic country with which the Province of Alberta wishes to establish stronger cooperative ties in the future,” Smith said.

On the trade front, Alberta stakeholders hope that Indonesia will soon complete the ratification of the Indonesia–Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (ICA CEPA).

In Canada, the ratification process has entered its final stage, Royal Assent, following the conclusion of legislative deliberations. ***