Mahkatop — President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the nickel sector could enable Indonesia to capture a major share of the global market. Jokowi expressed hope that if this partnership succeeds, Indonesia could control 80 to 85 percent of the world’s nickel market.
“I believe that if this succeeds, we hope to control 80 to 85 percent of the global market. That is what we are aiming for,” said the President during the opening of the 2024 Presidential Cup in Bandung Regency, West Java, broadcast via a video recording from the Presidential Secretariat in Jakarta on Friday (July 18, 2024).
This cooperation is the outcome of a bilateral meeting with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) at Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi, on Wednesday (July 17, 2024). The partnership covers the entire nickel trade chain, from mining and precursors to electric vehicle batteries and the production of electric vehicles.
“This nickel trade cooperation starts from the mining sector, precursors, electric vehicle batteries, to the production of electric vehicles,” Jokowi explained.
In addition to the UAE, Jokowi revealed that two other countries are being approached for similar cooperation, though he did not disclose their names.
“This is UAE-Indonesia cooperation, and there are two more countries that we are currently approaching,” he added.
Apart from the nickel cooperation, Jokowi also secured another significant agreement for the development of a financial center in the new capital city, Nusantara, East Kalimantan. Jokowi stated that Indonesia aims to replicate the system and recruitment process managed by the Dubai International Financial Center Authority to attract investors to Nusantara.
“Indonesia wants to replicate the system and recruitment process managed by the Dubai International Financial Center Authority to attract investors to Nusantara,” Jokowi said.
Jokowi hopes the financial center in Nusantara will be established and operational soon to support economic growth in the new capital.
“In other words, we hope that the financial center in Nusantara will be established and operational as soon as possible,” Jokowi concluded. (*)