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Poland to strengthen ties with Indonesia
Poland and Indonesia’s bilateral trade remains modest, staying under US$1 billion in 2017. It is however bound to grow, with a few key industries to watch.
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Panoramic view of Warsaw in a summer day in Poland. (Shutterstock/File)
A
s President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo rightly notes, Indonesia’s international cooperation should be bringing concrete gains for the country. High-level meetings and foreign trips make sense as long as they bring prosperity to Indonesia.
In this light, the visit of Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marek Magierowski in Jakarta is a beneficial one. Started on Wednesday, the visit promises to be a pivotal moment for Poland-Indonesia relations.
The key phrase: the United Nations Security Council. Poland is a non-permanent member of the body. Indonesia has high chances for becoming one for the term 2019-2020. This creates interesting possibilities for launching joint peace and disarmament initiatives in 2019.
Beyond the usual political consultations, the visit is a time of talking business. Entrepreneurs from both countries will strive to establish ties during Poland-Indonesia’s economic forum held on Thursday.
Why is it important? Our economies, like our national flags, are complementary. Despite that, Poland and Indonesia’s bilateral trade remains modest, staying under US$1 billion in 2017. It is however bound to grow, with a few key industries to watch.
One of them is shipbuilding. Being a maritime fulcrum at the ocean crossroads, a reliable seagoing ship and ferry technology is the key. The Polish shipyards and the largest Indonesia’s shipyard in Surabaya already expressed interest in partnering to respond to the growing needs.
Another area is energy. Being the world’s second largest exporter of coal, Indonesia seeks ecological and cost-effective technologies to change it into energy. Polish companies stand ready to team up with Indonesian partners to make coal a greener fuel.
