International

Indonesian president to hold bilateral meeting with Bangladesh PM

Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will hold separate bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Bangladesh and Tunisia on the sidelines of the Arab Islamic American summit on Sunday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Foreign deputy minister AM Fachir said Jokowi would discuss efforts to improve economic cooperation between Indonesia and Bangladesh and Tunisia.

Jokowi will meet with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

However, as for Tunisia, Fachir has yet to confirm whether Jokowi will hold a bilateral meeting with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi or Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed.

“With Bangladesh, Indonesia will increase economic cooperation. We will also agree to establish a Preferential Trade Agreement with Bangladesh,” Fachir told reporters in Riyadh on Saturday evening.

Discussions between Jokowi and Hasina will also focus on Bangladesh’s plan to buy more trains from Indonesia.

In April, State-owned train manufacturer PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA) in Madiun, East Java, exported 15 passenger cars to Bangladesh.

The shipment of the Shovon-type passenger cars is the first batch of a total shipment of 150 passenger cars ordered by Bangladesh Railways.

INKA must completely fulfill the US$73 million order by August this year. Jokowi arrived in Riyadh on Saturday at 9 p.m., local time (dmr).

Source: The Jakarta Post