Indonesia’s new ambassador to the UAE, Judha Nugraha, has said he is focused on expanding trade, investment and boosting co-operation to enhance migrant worker protection as he starts his term on office.
Speaking to The National, Mr Judha said building on the results of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) that came into force between the countries in 2023 is crucial.
Bilateral trade surged from about $3 billion before the deal was signed in 2022, to $5.5 billion in 2024, with the goal of increasing trade volume to $10 billion in the next few years.
“We have very good relations between our two leaders,” said Mr Judha on the sidelines of a media briefing in Abu Dhabi. “Now we would like to transform that political capital into real economic opportunities between the two countries.”
Diversifying exports is part of this approach. Among Indonesia’s main exports to the UAE are precious metals such as gold, vegetable oil, cars and spare parts.
It hopes to expand these to include agricultural products and dairy goods, while also encouraging greater investment in sectors such as oil and gas, energy transition, data centres and logistics. “These are the types of areas we would like to promote further," Mr Judha said.
Relations between the countries are warm and historic. Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto visited the UAE in September, while previous leader Joko Widodo also visited. There is even a street and mosque in Abu Dhabi named after Mr Widodo.
About 55 bilateral agreements have been signed over the years, encompassing everything from defence to health.
Both are Muslim-majority nations. Indonesia, with about 280 million people, remains the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country.
The Indonesian community in the UAE has grown to about 81,000, most of whom are migrant workers in roles such as domestic help. Mr Judha said Indonesia and the UAE are still in discussions over an agreement on the placement and protection of such workers.
“It is better for us to have a memorandum of understanding between sending countries, Indonesia, and receiving countries,” he said. “That’s the best way to provide protection.”
The country is also seeking to increase the number of skilled professionals in the Emirates in fields such as aviation, health care and energy. Some Indonesian companies, such as state-owned energy firm Pertamina, are already operating in the UAE and there are scores of Indonesian restaurants across the country.
On regional issues, the ambassador said Indonesia remains at the forefront of advocating justice for Palestinians based on a two-state solution and praised co-operation with the UAE in humanitarian efforts.
“We have very good co-operation to support the Palestinian people,” he said, citing Indonesian healthcare workers serving on a UAE-established floating hospital in Egypt as an example.
Turning to domestic challenges, Mr Judha addressed Indonesia’s recovery from a devastating cyclone that struck parts of the country late last month, triggering floods and landslides that claimed more than 1,000 lives.
Mr Subianto has said affected areas on Sumatra could return to normal within two to three months. Mr Judha said the government has poured extensive military, police and logistical resources to support recovery efforts.
While some groups suggest deforestation may have exacerbated the impact of the disaster, the ambassador said Indonesia was taking steps to reduce the practice.
He highlighted a bilateral agreement signed at the Cop28 climate talks in Dubai to establish a mangrove research centre in Bali and said Indonesia had a broader energy transition strategy.
Indonesia and the UAE will next year mark 50 years of diplomatic relations, a milestone Mr Judha said both countries intend to use to deepen co-operation across all sectors: “We would like to use the momentum to create even stronger bilateral relations in all sectors between Indonesia and the UAE.”
