Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto discussed various prospective areas for economic cooperation with Australian Business Champion for Indonesia Professor Jennifer Westacott AO, including an effort to increase Indonesian human resources' capacity for semiconductor development.

"Indonesia opens up opportunities for bilateral cooperation, especially to prepare human resources for the semiconductor industry," he noted in a statement from his office on Thursday (June 27).

He explained that this plan is expected to be part of the support for Technical and Further Education (TAFE) or vocational education from the Australian government.

Hartarto and Westacott also discussed various collaboration opportunities in the energy and mineral sectors, namely the development of Carbon Capture Storage (CCS); energy transition and transmission processes; environmentally friendly mining practices; green coal technology; and blue ammonia.

Discussions between the two also covered the potential for cooperation in the informatics, agriculture, education, and health sectors, he remarked.

On this occasion, the minister highlighted the Indonesian government's attention to immediately complete regulations regarding CCS to encourage more intensive cooperation between both nations.

He then drew attention to the importance of sustainability of various low-hanging fruit cooperation commitments, including cooperation in dairy products and their processed products, as well as poultry farming.

Hartarto is upbeat that bilateral relations between Indonesia and Australia will continue to be maintained to support the transition of the new Indonesian government next October.

Meanwhile, Westacott also welcomed collaboration in various potential areas between the two countries and offered semiconductor joint venture cooperation, especially in the packaging industry.

This visit aimed to discuss various potential areas for cooperation between Indonesia and Australia, including in the agricultural, education, energy transition, and health sectors, she remarked.

Westacott's visit was part of a series of collaboration strategies in the ASEAN as a follow-up to Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 that was launched on September 6, 2023, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Jakarta.

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Penny Williams, and Special Staff to the Coordinating Minister for Economy Affairs Raden Pardede also attended the meeting.