Jokowi and Zulhas Meet with French President, Discuss IKN Investment and Energy Transition Projects
Jokowi and Zulhas Meet with French President, Discuss IKN Investment and Energy Transition Projects. President Joko Widodo or Jokowi with Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan alias Zulhas in a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron which took place on the sidelines of the G20 Summit on 9 to 10 September 2023 in New Delhi, India.
Zulhas said the meeting discussed France’s plans and commitments, including regarding investment in IKN and energy transition projects. “Indonesia hopes that this plan will soon be realized,” said Zulhas in his statement on Sunday, September 10 2023.
He said that in June 2023, the French Ambassador to Indonesia and a French business delegation had visited the Indonesian capital region (IKN) of the archipelago. The visit resulted in four Letters of Intent (LoI) to support IKN development.
Indonesia also took advantage of this opportunity to ask for French support in the process of registering Indonesia to become part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
President Jokowi considers this to be a step for Indonesia to become a developed country.
Meanwhile, in the period January to July 2023, total trade between Indonesia and France will be US$ 1.55 billion. Of this value, Indonesia’s exports to France amounted to US$ 547 million and Indonesia’s imports from France amounted to US$ 999 million.
Total trade from January to July 2023 rose 10.74 percent compared to the same period in 2022 which amounted to US$ 1.40 billion. Indonesia’s export products to France are electric transformers, vehicle parts and accessories, electrical equipment to replace or protect electrical circuits, petroleum gas and other gases, as well as palm oil and its fractions.Meanwhile, Indonesia’s imported products from France are perfume, whey protein and other products consisting of milk, goods used when traveling, vaccines for humans and animals, and medicines.
