Indonesia, Illinois Forge First State-Level Partnership

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia has taken a new step in its diplomacy with the United States by formalizing its first direct partnership with an American state, signing a Statement of Mutual Cooperation (SMC) with Illinois. This initiative opens the door to collaboration across trade, innovation, and education.

The agreement was signed on Friday, August 7, 2026, by Director General for American and European Affairs at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Grata Endah Werdaningtyas, and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, witnessed by Indonesian Ambassador to the U.S. Indroyono Soesilo and Consul General in Chicago Trisari Dyah Paramita.

According to a statement released by the Indonesian Consulate in Chicago, Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Illinois offers a strategic base for industry, research, and innovation, making it a valuable partner for Indonesia. Grata emphasized that the SMC complements federal-level diplomacy by strengthening direct ties with state governments.

“We hope this cooperation will soon materialize into projects that deliver tangible benefits for both sides,” Grata said, as quoted by Antara.

The partnership will encourage collaboration among governments, businesses, research institutions, and universities in areas such as advanced manufacturing, agriculture, technology, human capital development, and clean energy. Indonesia is pushing for concrete initiatives, including joint research, talent exchanges, and industry-academia partnerships.

Upcoming projects include joint studies between Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Northwestern University, and Northern Illinois University on clean energy and advanced manufacturing, as well as soybean research with the Soy Excellence Center and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Cooperation on critical minerals and rare earth processing with Argonne National Laboratory is also being explored.

Governor Pritzker welcomed the partnership, highlighting its potential to drive prosperity and economic growth through expanded trade, investment, and workforce development. Both sides will identify priority sectors and flagship projects to ensure measurable outcomes.

The signing of the SMC marks a milestone in Jakarta-Washington relations, setting a precedent for Indonesia to pursue similar partnerships with other U.S. states that align with its national development priorities. ***