Chronicle Editor
Africa Moyo in Bali, Indonesia
INDONESIA is exploring lithium mining opportunities in Zimbabwe as part of a broader strategy of strengthening economic co-operation, President Joko Widodo said yesterday.
Speaking during bilateral talks with Vice-President Kembo Mohadi on the sidelines of the Second Indonesia-Africa Forum and the high-level forum on multi-stakeholder partnerships here, President Widodo called for a preferential trade agreement and asked Zimbabwe to support Indonesia’s desire to invest heavily in the pharmaceuticals sectors, where Zimbabwe would become the regional hub for the export of medicines produced there.
“Also mining co-operation; at the moment Indonesia is exploring lithium mining in Zimbabwe. I have assigned our Minister and Energy and Mineral Resources to accelerate the initiation of the memorandum of understanding,” he said.
Indonesia requires a lot of lithium for its electric vehicles industry. Lithium is key in the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries used by electric vehicles.
President Widodo also congratulated President Mnangagwa following his re-election in last year’s harmonised elections.
In an interview after the engagement with President Widodo, VP Mohadi said the “meeting went on very well”.
Zimbabwe encouraged the Indonesians to develop together with Africa, in keeping with the Bandung Spirit of 1955 that wants Indonesia and African countries to work closely together.
Indonesia’s deep-rooted relations with Africa are connected to the historical 1955 Asia-Africa Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia’s industrial hub.
The Bandung Conference adopted the Bandung Spirit, which underscored the importance of promoting sovereignty, equal partnership, justice, mutual interest and co-operation. These principles became the basis for Indonesia in pursuing a robust relationship with Africa.
VP Mohadi said it was important to revive that spirit for the benefit of both parties.
“It has been lying idle (the Bandung Spirit), that is what we are trying to revive. We also looked at areas where we lack, especially in Zimbabwe. What areas can we have synergies with the Indonesians in terms of mining? They are very good at beneficiating.
“We would also want assistance so that when we produce minerals, we beneficiate, including agriculture products, rather than selling them in their raw form. So, this is an important meeting,” said VP Mohadi, adding that Africans themselves had an opportunity to engage.
After the bilateral meeting, VP Mohadi toured an exhibition at the venue of the conferences mounted by companies, some that make guns, warplanes, lubricants, farming equipment and coal fertiliser. ZimTrade is exhibiting.
“The one that excited me the most was ZimTrade. What also excited me is the Indonesian defence industry, not because I am connected with the military but I would want them to connect with our defence industry. I think we can learn a lot from them. What we saw there are small arms and they also produce nice, new aircraft,” he said.
VP Mohadi was accompanied during the tour by Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Mutsvangwa, who was also part of the delegation that met President Widodo.
In his address during the plenary sessions , VP Mohadi thanked President Widodo for efficiently organising the Second Indonesia-Africa Forum, adding that the theme of the conference, ‘Bandung spirit for Africa’s Agenda 2063’, “is very inspiring and relevant.”
He called on the representatives of the 24 African countries that attended the conferences “to inject impetus on economic co-operation that is lagging behind”.
VP Mohadi rallied Africa and Indonesia to capitalise on the almost 1,6 billion joint population to explore and unlock existing potential to strengthen economic co-operation amongst themselves.
Zimbabwe has already started discussions with Indonesia to strengthen co-operation in the health sector.
While officially opening the conferences earlier on, President Widodo said everyone should strive to “create positive change in the midst of a world full of challenges”.
“It is very much regrettable that at a moment like this, international solidarity is actually weakening, the spirit of multilateralism is increasingly sidelined, and fragmentation continues to intensify,” he said.
It was six years before 2030 but only 17 percent of Sustainable Development Goals had been achieved, said President Widodo, hence the need for a new direction, vision, strategy and tactical steps to achieve fairer and more inclusive development for developing countries.
Online Reporter