Attending Indonesia-Brazil Business Forum, Prabowo Reveals Indonesia's Reasons for Joining BRICS

REPUBLICA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Prabowo Subianto supports economic synergies between Indonesia and Brazil through Indonesia-Brazil Business Forum held at Copacabana Palace, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday (17/11/2024) local time. On that occasion, Prabowo reiterated Indonesia's seriousness to join the BRICS alliance (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa).

The forum was a forum for connecting business actors from Indonesia and Brazil to discuss opportunities for strategic economic cooperation, including in the energy, industrial, and maritime sectors. In a press statement received in Jakarta on Monday (18/11/2024), Prabowo discussed Brazil's role as one of the key members of the BRICS.

Prabowo expressed his support for Brazil for being able to create an economic organization that is increasingly influential on the global scene. As a form of support, the President conveyed that Indonesia has committed to becoming a member of BRICS.

Prabowo said the decision to join the BRICS was one part of a strategy to strengthen Indonesia's economy. “I have sent the Foreign Minister to attend the BRICS summit in Kazan, just a day after my cabinet was sworn in. Indonesia wants to join Brazil and other BRICS member states,” Prabowo said. 

The president also revealed that there are many things that Indonesia can learn from Brazil, including one of the programs related to food security that is the main foundation of the development of a country.

The president said that Indonesia-Brazil have a lot in common, and this can create good synergies between the two countries. “Indonesia and Brazil are big countries with large populations. We have abundant resources. Brazil is already ahead in its industry, while Indonesia is trying to catch up through industrialization. I am confident that we can create good synergies and mutually beneficial relations,” President Prabowo said.

Prabowo also stressed that the free feeding program for Indonesian children as a priority of his government, will also study the success of Brazil in similar programs. “I also want to learn from the successful Brazilian program, and I have asked my team to arrange further cooperation with the Brazilian Ambassador in Indonesia,” the president said.

In the field of energy, President Prabowo highlighted the great opportunities of cooperation with Brazil, especially in the development of biofuels and renewable energy. Indonesia aims to increase the use of biodiesel by 50 percent by 2025, using palm oil as the main raw material.

Meanwhile, in the maritime sector, President Prabowo said Indonesia has the second or third largest fishery reserves in the world, but lacks 40,000 fishing boats with a capacity of 150-300 GT.

Prabowo also invited Brazilian businesses to invest in this sector, while supporting Indonesia's downstream natural resources program. Prabowo ended his remarks by underlining Indonesia's commitment to creating a positive business climate and open to foreign investment. “We are determined to create a positive business environment,” Prabowo said.

sumber : Antara