Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
ZIMBABWE and Indonesia have reaffirmed their long-standing friendship and pledged to deepen cooperation across key sectors.
Speaking at Indonesia’s National Day in Harare last night, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador Albert Chimbindi congratulated Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and the citizens on their National Day. He described the commemorative occasion as a reminder of enduring ties between the two countries.
Ambassador Chimbindi said Zimbabwe’s constitution provides a clear compass for its engagement with the international community, emphasising peace, security, dialogue, cooperation and strict adherence to national interest.
“Our foreign policy must be guided by respect for international law and the pursuit of mutually beneficial relations,” he said. “In celebrating Indonesia’s National Day, we reaffirm these constitutional principles, recognising Indonesia as a valued partner in advancing peace, stability and prosperity.”
Ambassador Chimbindi said Zimbabwe’s doctrine of foreign relations places development at the centre of diplomacy, adding that the Second Republic remains committed to economic diplomacy and the “Zimbabwe is open for business” mantra.
“We welcome partnerships that drive trade, investment and innovation. Our cooperation with Indonesia strengthens our capacity to harness the ingenuity and resilience of Zimbabweans,” he said.
Ambassador Chimbindi also highlighted growing opportunities in agriculture, mining, education and health and said Zimbabwean students are already studying in Indonesia and farmers were benefitting from the East Asian country’s technical expertise including artificial insemination programmes.
“These exchanges are not just transactions; they are investments in our shared prosperity.”
Ambassador Chimbindi said Zimbabwe views Indonesia’s investment interest in mining, agriculture and manufacturing as a catalyst for mutually beneficial economic growth.
“Zimbabwe attaches strategic importance to its enduring relationship with the Republic of Indonesia. We look forward with confidence to Indonesia’s continued support for Zimbabwe’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2027–2028,” he said.
Indonesian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Arief Hidayat described relations between the two nations as a friendship rooted in solidarity, independence and a shared history.
He paid tribute to Zimbabwean alumni of Indonesian universities who continue to embody people-to-people diplomacy between the two countries.
Ambassador Hidayat reflected on Indonesia’s 80 years of independence, saying its foreign policy had long been anchored on the principle of being “free and active”—free from power blocs and active in promoting world peace and justice.
“The Bandung Conference of 1955 was the birth of a movement that declared the developing world an active architect of its own destiny,” he said.
Ambassador Hidayat said Indonesia has intensified engagement with Africa through political dialogue, capacity building, trade and investment through platforms such as the Indonesia-Africa Forum and the Indonesia-Africa Infrastructure Dialogue.
The ongoing artificial insemination partnership, which has already produced cattle breeds in Zimbabwe, is set to continue until December this year.
He said such projects are symbols of “our shared pursuit of food security and rural development.”
Indonesia, he said, fully supports Zimbabwe’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2027–2028, underscoring solidarity in pursuit of global peace and security.
Ambassador Hidayat also spoke about the steady growth in trade between the two countries, and described their economies as complementary and rich with untapped potential.
“Our goal is to move from commodity exchange to value-added cooperation through joint ventures, processing industries and technology transfer,” he said.
The Ambassador encouraged tourism exchange, inviting more Zimbabweans to explore Indonesia’s cultural diversity from Bali to Borobudur, while urging Indonesians to discover Zimbabwe’s own historical and natural wonders such as Victoria Falls and Great Zimbabwe.
Both countries affirmed their commitment to strengthening friendship, expanding cooperation and advancing shared prosperity in line with their long-standing principles of independence, justice and mutual respect.
