Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Sugiono underscored the importance of intensifying cooperation between Indonesia and Malaysia in human resources development to Malaysian Minister of Economics Rafizi Ramli.
Sugiono conveyed this at a meeting with Ramli on the sidelines of the 2024 BRICS Plus Summit in Kazan, Russia, on Wednesday (October 23).
“Minister Sugiono highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Malaysia, including education and human resource development issues,” according to a statement received from the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry on Wednesday.
In the meeting, Sugiono remarked that education cooperation can be increased by optimizing student exchanges between educational institutions in Indonesia and Malaysia.
He also expressed gratitude for Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s attendance at the inauguration of the President and Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia in Jakarta on October 20.
Sugiono also pledged Indonesia’s full support for Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025 after Laos.
Meanwhile, Minister Ramli acknowledged Indonesia’s significant leadership and initiatives at the regional and global levels.
“Indonesia’s influence is important to continue increasing the role of ASEAN at the global level,” he noted as stated in the same statement.
Both ministers also exchanged views on other regional and global dynamics, including the expansion of BRICS members and its political and economic impacts on the region.
Sugiono’s visit to Russia to attend the BRICS Plus Summit as Special Envoy of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was his first official visit after being inaugurated as Indonesian minister of foreign affairs on Monday (October 21).
The 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, on October 22-24, 2024, gathered representatives from 32 countries, of which 24 were represented by heads of state, while eight others sent high-ranking officials.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also attended the event after accepting an invitation from Russia, which hosted the BRICS Summit.