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NZ, Indonesia discuss economy, human rights

Economic cooperation was the main focus of a bilateral meeting between Indonesia and New Zealand while both countries also discussed human rights with New Zealand saying it respected Indonesia’s territorial integrity in Papua

Ina Parlina (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Tue, July 19, 2016

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NZ, Indonesia discuss economy, human rights

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conomic cooperation was the main focus of a bilateral meeting between Indonesia and New Zealand while both countries also discussed human rights with New Zealand saying it respected Indonesia’s territorial integrity in Papua.

In a joint statement after a meeting with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Monday, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key acknowledged that the bilateral ties went much further than just economic matters as he and Jokowi also had “a very good and open discussion about human rights” and a discussion about Indonesia’s “territorial rights over Papua”.

The statement was made amid concerns about widespread human rights abuse against Papuans by Indonesian authorities. Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said the Indonesian government explained to Key in the meeting about development efforts the country has made in Papua. “The Prime Minister said that New Zealand respects the territorial integrity of Indonesia,” she added.

Key is in Jakarta for his second visit to the archipelago and has brought along a delegation of 22 executives from various major New Zealand companies involved in the renewable energy and agriculture sectors among others, in a bid to not only strengthen economic ties, but also to consolidate a number of investment opportunities.

Key described his meeting with Jokowi as “very productive”, renewing both parties’ commitments to developing the renewable energy sector in Indonesia, as well as to improve trade and investment ties.

Cooperation on geothermal remains a priority although the two countries also “agreed to improve cooperation in hydroenergy, including in its investment”, said Jokowi in the joint statement.

Indonesia is estimated to have around 28 gigawatts (GW) in geothermal energy potential and 75 GW in hydropower potential. The estimated total potential of renewable energy in the country is estimated to amount to more than 300 GW.

Indonesia is currently seeking to develop more renewable energy generation to meet its long-term renewable energy target of 23 percent of electricity generated by 2025.

Based on data from state-owned electricity company PLN, coal accounted for 55.7 percent of electricity generation in 2015, while electricity generated from hydropower plants amounted to only 5.9 percent and geothermal energy 4 percent.

New Zealand, which has vast experience in geothermal energy, has a long history of involvement in developing geothermal energy in Indonesia dating back to the 1970s.

Key previously met Jokowi late last year on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Myanmar, to discuss the construction of geothermal plants in Indonesia. At the time, Jokowi promised to remove any obstacles to investment.

On Monday, Key also received an honor as the first state guest to witness the new Presidential Palace tradition of a livelier reception ceremony with some 200 schoolchildren involved.

Unlike previous events, Monday’s procession started outside the Palace with Key’s motorcade receiving an escort of mounted troops. Upon arrival Key acknowledged the welcome by the kids, who were waving Indonesian and New Zealand flags in the Palace yard.

During the meeting, the two also agreed to improve cooperation in cattle-breeding. Indonesia invited New Zealand — known for its good reputation in cattle-breeding — to invest in the sector in Indonesia.

“You [Jokowi] raised some important issues like breeding cattle and others. We are again very confident that progress can be made and resolutions can be found,” Key said.

The two countries also signed three memoranda of understanding in cooperation on renewable energy, tourism and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

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