Abu Dhabi — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto expressed gratitude for the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) initiative to involve Indonesia in a humanitarian mission in Gaza.

He conveyed this during a meeting with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) at the UAE Presidential Palace on Saturday (23/11).

“In many ways, we have collaborated well. I also want to thank you for including us in the humanitarian mission to Gaza. The UAE invited us and our medical team with a field hospital in Rafah, Gaza,” Prabowo told MBZ.

“We deeply appreciate this collaboration and the initiative of Your Highness. We are very grateful,” he added.

During the meeting, Prabowo also invited the UAE to partner with Indonesia in ensuring food security.

“My top priority in the government I lead is to ensure food security and safety,” Prabowo emphasized.

He also highlighted other priorities, including energy security and downstream industrialization.

MBZ, on the other hand, underscored several tangible achievements from the bilateral cooperation between the two nations, such as the 12% growth in non-oil trade in 2023, amounting to approximately $4.6 billion.

He expressed optimism about achieving a trade target of $10 billion through the implementation of a comprehensive economic partnership agreement and the use of local currencies in bilateral transactions.

Additionally, the UAE and Indonesia have forged collaborations in various strategic sectors, including renewable energy, climate action, artificial intelligence, education, and food security.

“These ensure that today we are building upon a strong foundation. God willing, we will further strengthen this foundation, expand the scope of cooperation, and seize every available opportunity,” said MBZ. (RR)