(AseanAll) — Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono made a working visit to the Netherlands on February 21 and 22, 2025.
On that occasion, the Indonesian Foreign Minister made a courtesy visit to the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Dick Schoof on February 21 , and held a bilateral meeting with the Dutch Foreign Minister, Caspar Veldkamp on February 22, in The Hague. In both meetings, Sugiono reaffirmed the Netherlands' position as an important partner for Indonesia in Europe.
"As a key partner in the European Union, Indonesia hopes to continue strengthening its comprehensive partnership with the Netherlands," emphasized Sugiono.
In both meetings, Sugiono explained various priority programs for Indonesia moving forward, particularly in the fields of food security, energy transition, downstreaming, and human resource capacity building. Foreign Minister Sugiono invited the Netherlands to participate in and support these various strategic programs. At the meeting with Dick Schoof, Sugiono also raised the possibility of cooperation to help improve the productivity of Indonesian fishermen.
The Prime Minister and the Dutch Foreign Minister conveyed the Netherlands' commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation with Indonesia, particularly in the business sector, and expressed support for priority programs such as enhancing food security and providing free nutritious meals.
Regarding the performance of the RI-Netherlands Comprehensive Partnership, both Foreign Ministers agreed to evaluate the Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Comprehensive Partnership, which will end in December 2025, and agreed to formulate various steps forward.
In addition to discussing bilateral issues, both meetings also addressed important regional issues, particularly regarding Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific, and BRICS. The Dutch PM emphasized the need for Indonesia and the Netherlands to become a bridge between Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
In line with that statement, Sugiono invited the European Union to increase its presence in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in the economic field, in order to create balance and prosperity in the region. Regarding Indonesia's membership in BRICS, the Indonesian Foreign Minister explained Indonesia's hope to become a bridge between developing and developed countries, as well as between BRICS and Southeast Asia.
