Indonesia and Singapore have agreed to form six working groups to intensify economic cooperation between the two countries.
The agreement was reached at a Leaders` Retreat meeting for three hours between Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Singapore`s prime minister Lee Hsien Loong at Botanic Garden here on Monday.
At a press conference at Hotel Shangrila that evening President Yudhoyono said the working groups were aimed at increasing cooperation in Batam, Bintan and Karimun in the fields of investment, air transportation, tourism, manpower and agri-business.
"Learning from past experience with the agreement future problems and obstacles could at any time be identified. In view of that we agreed to form six working groups to carry out cooperation in the economic fields," he said.
He said the working groups would be put under the coordination of Indonesian chief economic minister Hatta Radjasa while each group will be led by technical ministers concerned who would report periodically to their heads of state respectively.
The working groups set up with an aim of finding opportinuties for mutually beneficial cooperation would also involve regions because Singapore is not only interested in investing in Jakarta but also in other provinces, he said.
Regarding the cooperation in Batam, Bintan and Karimun Yudhoyono said Indonesia could obtain an added value from the establishment of the special zone because Singapore would not be able to expand its territory to meet its growing industries.
In view of that areas located around Singapore like Batam, Bintan and Karimun could take a benefit out of the situation, he said.
President Yudhoyono said closer cooperation with Singapore was also expected in the tourism and air transportation sectors especially with regard to the implementation of the Asean Open Sky policy in 2015.
In the field of manpower Indonesia hopes with the cooperation more skilled and professional workers from the country would get a place in the Singapore manpower market.
In the field of agribusiness President Yudhoyono said Indonesian vegetables and fruits now still contributed a small portion in the Singapore market.
Before 2014, Yudhoyono said Indonesia wished to take up to 30 percent share of the Singapore vegetable and fruit market.
Indonesia and Singapore have also established a working group to coordinate cooperation against terrorism threats in the region.
"The working group on combating terrorism has run and we wish it will be implemented more effectively," he said.
In the meeting President Yudhoyono emphasized Singapore`s important position as a strong partner in investment and trade.
The two leaders in the meeting did not discuss other issues other than economic and terrorism issues such as extradition agreement.
The trade between the two countries in 2009 reached US$25 billion which is the highest after with the US, Japan and China.Singapore`s investment in Indonesia in 2009 reached US$4.5 billion.
The agreement was reached at a Leaders` Retreat meeting for three hours between Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Singapore`s prime minister Lee Hsien Loong at Botanic Garden here on Monday.
At a press conference at Hotel Shangrila that evening President Yudhoyono said the working groups were aimed at increasing cooperation in Batam, Bintan and Karimun in the fields of investment, air transportation, tourism, manpower and agri-business.
"Learning from past experience with the agreement future problems and obstacles could at any time be identified. In view of that we agreed to form six working groups to carry out cooperation in the economic fields," he said.
He said the working groups would be put under the coordination of Indonesian chief economic minister Hatta Radjasa while each group will be led by technical ministers concerned who would report periodically to their heads of state respectively.
The working groups set up with an aim of finding opportinuties for mutually beneficial cooperation would also involve regions because Singapore is not only interested in investing in Jakarta but also in other provinces, he said.
Regarding the cooperation in Batam, Bintan and Karimun Yudhoyono said Indonesia could obtain an added value from the establishment of the special zone because Singapore would not be able to expand its territory to meet its growing industries.
In view of that areas located around Singapore like Batam, Bintan and Karimun could take a benefit out of the situation, he said.
President Yudhoyono said closer cooperation with Singapore was also expected in the tourism and air transportation sectors especially with regard to the implementation of the Asean Open Sky policy in 2015.
In the field of manpower Indonesia hopes with the cooperation more skilled and professional workers from the country would get a place in the Singapore manpower market.
In the field of agribusiness President Yudhoyono said Indonesian vegetables and fruits now still contributed a small portion in the Singapore market.
Before 2014, Yudhoyono said Indonesia wished to take up to 30 percent share of the Singapore vegetable and fruit market.
Indonesia and Singapore have also established a working group to coordinate cooperation against terrorism threats in the region.
"The working group on combating terrorism has run and we wish it will be implemented more effectively," he said.
In the meeting President Yudhoyono emphasized Singapore`s important position as a strong partner in investment and trade.
The two leaders in the meeting did not discuss other issues other than economic and terrorism issues such as extradition agreement.
The trade between the two countries in 2009 reached US$25 billion which is the highest after with the US, Japan and China.Singapore`s investment in Indonesia in 2009 reached US$4.5 billion.
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