Indonesia and Kuwait Explore Cooperation to Support Rural Development

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia and Kuwait are exploring stronger cooperation to support rural development and improve living conditions in villages across Indonesia. The discussion took place when Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions, Yandri Susanto, received Kuwait Ambassador Khalid Jassim Alyassin at the ministry’s office in Jakarta on Wednesday August 26, 2026.

During the meeting, Ambassador, Khalid, said Kuwait and Indonesia had formally established diplomatic relations in 1968. He said the longstanding relationship should be strengthened through official cooperation between the two governments.

He also highlighted contributions from Kuwaiti private organizations that have raised funds to support communities in other countries. The assistance has included programs for orphans, the construction of Islamic boarding schools and mosques, as well as the provision of boats to fishermen to help them generate sustainable incomes.

“These Kuwaiti associations have provided donations to various separate regions across Indonesia. Because Indonesia is geographically very large, we have already carried out these efforts, including building villages, schools, mosques, and other facilities in areas such as Sumatra, Java, and other regions,” Khalid said.

Yandri expressed his appreciation for Kuwait’s contributions to Indonesian villages, including support for Islamic boarding schools and places of worship. He said such assistance has provided tangible benefits for rural communities and could be expanded through more structured cooperation.

Yandri explained that Indonesia has 75,266 villages with diverse economic and natural resources. The Ministry of Villages has developed 12 priority initiatives, including the Red and White Village Cooperatives, Village-Owned Enterprises, export-oriented villages, and tourism villages, while many villages still require better religious, educational, and health facilities as well as human-resource development.

“There are thematic villages focused on food security, such as egg-producing villages, broiler villages, catfish villages, tilapia villages, and others. We hope there can be concrete cooperation to develop villages in Indonesia, both based on their potential and their human resources,” Yandri said.

He added that villages play an important role in the government’s development strategy, as President Prabowo Subianto has placed village-based development and grassroots economic empowerment among the priorities of the government’s Asta Cita agenda. The approach is intended to promote more equitable economic growth and help reduce poverty by strengthening communities at the local level.

Yandri expressed hope that Indonesia and Kuwait could establish formal government-to-government cooperation, while Kuwaiti organizations and associations could also work directly with Indonesian villages. “So that communities can prosper, alongside building mosques and schools. Villages are now a major priority for us to develop, and we look forward to collaboration with friendly countries such as Kuwait,” Yandri said.