Online Reporter
Africa Moyo
Deputy National Editor
ZIMBABWE and Indonesia are preparing to take their longstanding relationship into a new phase with the inaugural Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation and the next session of the Foreign Office Consultations, to be held in Indonesia later this year.
The two high-level engagements are expected to provide a structured platform for Harare and Jakarta to take stock of existing areas of cooperation, follow up on agreements and unlock new opportunities in trade, investment, mining, tourism, education and livestock development.
The JCBC will build on the first Foreign Office Consultation between the two countries held in June this year, which laid the groundwork for closer institutional cooperation.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Director for Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Mr Mqabuko Spencer Dube, said the forthcoming engagements would give fresh impetus to relations between the two countries.
“Indonesia, with its dynamic economy and rich cultural heritage, is a natural partner on this journey,” he said in his remarks at the 81st Indonesian Independence Day celebrations in Harare last Thursday night.
“There is immense potential for our two countries to expand cooperation in health, tourism, education and mining, among other areas. We therefore look forward to the holding of the inaugural Zimbabwe-Indonesia Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) and the next session of the Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Indonesia.”
Mr Dube said the engagements would give impetus to deepening, broadening and consolidating the “excellent relations that happily exist between our two countries”.
For Zimbabwe and Indonesia, the planned JCBC represents an important shift towards providing a stronger institutional framework for bilateral cooperation.
Ambassador of Indonesia to Zimbabwe Arief Hidayat said the first FOC had enabled the two countries to review their relationship, identify new areas of cooperation and follow up on agreements.
“One of the important outcomes was the understanding to elevate this mechanism into a Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), which we hope to convene towards the end of this year,” he said.
The ambassador said the commission would be expected to move beyond dialogue and focus on implementation.
“We see the JCBC not simply as another meeting, but as a practical mechanism to help both governments coordinate, monitor progress and open new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation,” he said.
This approach is expected to give greater impetus to cooperation already taking place across several sectors.
Economic cooperation is one of the key areas expected to feature prominently during the engagements.
Earlier this year, Indonesian companies participated in the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), with support from the Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre in Johannesburg.
Ambassador Hidayat said Indonesia wanted to move beyond a conventional buyer-seller relationship towards partnerships involving investment, production and processing.
“Our objective is not simply to promote exports and imports.
“We want to encourage a deeper form of economic partnership, one in which Indonesian companies can also look at Zimbabwe as a place to establish production, processing and other business activities,” he said.
Such cooperation, he said, could generate investment, employment, technology transfer and greater value for both countries.
The Indonesian Embassy is also working towards linking the ZITF with the Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI), with ZimTrade and Zimbabwean business representatives expected to participate in the October event in Indonesia.
The initiative is expected to give businesses from both countries opportunities to explore partnerships, investment and joint ventures.
Mining is another area where the two countries are seeking to expand cooperation.
The Indonesian Embassy has facilitated visits by Zimbabwean delegations, including representatives from relevant technical ministries, to Indonesia to learn from its experience in developing the mining sector.
Ambassador Hidayat said the cooperation was intended to be based on the exchange of expertise rather than a one-way transfer of knowledge.
“We believe that cooperation is not about one country teaching another.
“It is about sharing experiences, learning from each other and finding solutions that are appropriate to each country’s circumstances,” he said.
Tourism is also expected to receive attention, with Zimbabwe seeking to combine its rich cultural heritage and natural attractions with Indonesia’s experience in international tourism.
The two countries are working towards concluding a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of tourism, which Mr Dube said would connect cultures, create opportunities and contribute to shared prosperity.
Education, science, technology and innovation are also central to Zimbabwe’s engagement with Indonesia.
Mr Dube said Zimbabwe was pursuing a knowledge-driven society under the doctrine of “Chimurenga Chepfungwa/Umvukela Wengqondo/The Liberation of the Mind”.
Indonesia has been supporting Zimbabwean students through programmes including the KNB Scholarship, Darmasiswa and the Indonesian AID Scholarship.
Ambassador Hidayat said more than 100 Zimbabwean students had benefited from Indonesian scholarship opportunities over the past five years.
He cited the achievement of Ezekiel Makambwa, who graduated from Universitas Indonesia with a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences and attained a perfect Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.00, the highest possible grade.
The two countries are also strengthening cooperation in livestock development, particularly through artificial insemination.
The programme is expected to progress towards a Training of Trainers initiative and, eventually, the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Artificial Insemination in Zimbabwe.
Mr Dube said Zimbabwe was also modernising its foreign service architecture to make diplomatic and economic engagements more efficient.
This includes updating embassies, enhancing digital systems and reducing bureaucratic red tape affecting official travel, trade negotiations and institutional cooperation.
A key enabler will be the finalisation of an agreement on the waiver of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and service passports between Zimbabwe and Indonesia.
With the JCBC and FOC providing a structured framework for engagement, Harare and Jakarta are seeking to translate their longstanding friendship into deeper practical cooperation, stronger economic ties and new opportunities for their peoples.
