The Aceh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin Aceh) will be establishing an economic development plan aimed at building stronger bilateral relations between Indonesia and Qatar in a wide variety of sectors, an official has said.
Dr Phil Suraiya IT MA, vice chair of Kadin Aceh, told Gulf Times that the chamber’s economic development plan includes the following industries: oil and gas (energy), agriculture and fisheries, halal tourism, and connectivity and transportation “through a collaboration with Qatar Airways.”
According to Suraiya, who recently led an Indonesian business delegation in the country, the plan will be initially presented to the Qatar-Indonesia Business Council (QIBC) and to the respective embassies of both countries.
“Kadin Aceh is also planning to forge cooperation ties with Qatar Chamber to establish a sustainable mechanism of dialogue and platform for discussion and other development plans.
“We are also in talks with Farhan al-Sayed, the president of Qatar-Indonesia Business Council, in order to develop strong institutional, trade, and business relations between our chamber and QIBC,” she explained.
Suraiya added: “Our visit to Doha was also to meet colleagues and to follow up on a potential collaboration between Qatar and Aceh in the fields of education, culture, and economic development.
“We also look to collaborate with Qatar in the field of education as we have universities and colleges focused on nursing and health. The province of Aceh, in particular, and the island of Sumatra, in general, could have positive prospects for partnership in the field of health.”
QIBC president Farhan al-Sayed further explained that the Indonesian delegation arrived in Doha to enhance cooperation between Qatar and Aceh, a semi-autonomous Indonesian province on the northwest tip of Sumatra Island.
Aside from Suraiya, who is also a senior advisor of the Human Resource Development of Aceh, al-Sayed said he also met with other members of the delegation, such as Indonesian businessman and philanthropist, Dr Rusli Bintang, as well as Dr Harmani Harun, vice rector of Malahayati University.
“The delegation’s objectives on this visit were to improve connectivity between Qatar and Indonesia and how to take it to a higher level in the field of general trade, education, the export of coffee, fruits, vegetables, and halal food, as well as various other projects.
Aside from investment opportunities in agriculture and infrastructure, al-Sayed said discussions were held with Korina Refinery Aceh director Said Malawi, who was also a member of the delegation representing Aceh’s oil refinery sector.
According to Malawi, the Indonesian government is inviting investors from Qatar to explore Aceh’s refinery sector and forge joint projects for different downstream products, such as jet fuel, diesel, and lube oil, among others.
Related Story