Slovakia and Indonesia Want to Elevate Relations to Strategic Partnership Level

Jakarta, 3 February (TASR-correspondent) - Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) held talks with his Indonesian counterpart Sugiono in Jakarta on Tuesday, a special TASR correspondent reported on the same day. The partners confirmed their interest in deepening bilateral relations and focusing on a narrower range of concrete and achievable priorities. Both sides also expressed their wish to elevate mutual relations to the level of a strategic partnership During discussions held at the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry, the two officials focused primarily on cooperation in the economic sector, energy transformation, food self-sufficiency, health care and defence. According to the ministers, the defence agreement signed in 2023 is currently undergoing the ratification process. Sugiono noted that cooperation in this area should, in addition to purchases, also include technology transfer, research, training and joint production. The ministers also highlighted the successful scientific cooperation between the two countries' universities and spoke about the exchange of students, particularly in technical fields. Slovakia offered Indonesia its experience in water and waste management, as well as its expertise in nuclear energy. In addition to bilateral matters, the ministers also addressed multilateral issues. The head of Slovak diplomacy stressed the need to uphold international law and to support peace and stability at a time of a growing number of conflicts in the world. Sugiono declared Indonesia's support for Slovakia's efforts to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. Blanar also praised Jakarta's support for Slovakia's candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2028–2029 term. The heads of diplomacy also touched on tourism, as the number of Slovak tourists visiting Indonesia is growing. They signed an agreement on visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and service passports and welcomed the memorandum of cooperation between the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO). Blanar is the first Slovak foreign affairs minister to visit Indonesia in 16 years. He began his several-day visit on Monday (2 February) on the island of Bali, opening an honorary consulate there. The minister stressed that Slovakia had recently presented its strategy for the Indo-Pacific region, which he described as one of the most important regions in the world, with Indonesia being a key player in it. Sugiono promised to visit Slovakia in the near future. ko