"The Indonesian government has proposed this LoI to further institutionalize and enhance as well as expand bilateral cooperation in defense between Indonesia and Zimbabwe, which has been going well so far," Indonesian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Juniarta Sastrawan noted in a statement on Tuesday.
The Zimbabwean Government has echoed its complete support for the bilateral defense cooperation agreement prioritizing the three activities of exchange of visits between the two ministries' high-level and operational officials, cooperation in promoting education and training, and promotion of the defense industry between both nations.
"Education and training activities in defense have a very strategic value for the two countries and are urgently required by the Government of Zimbabwe," the ambassador emphasized.
Furthermore, Sastrawan drew attention to the importance of promoting cooperation in the defense industry, which in the long run would also be beneficial for expanding and enhancing economic, trade, and investment cooperation between both nations.
By capitalizing on the implementation of the African Continent Free Trade Area (AfCTA), through a defense industry cooperation to be agreed upon, the two countries could explore cooperation in the joint production of weapons by PT PINDAD and other strategic Indonesian industrial products in Zimbabwe to meet Zimbabwean requirements and also for export to countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, he expounded.
Moreover, during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period, under a possible cooperation, Indonesia will build army hospital facilities in Zimbabwe that can also be utilized by the general public there.
It should be noted that earlier, the Defense University (UNHAN), the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia, had begun offering postgraduate scholarships for officers from Zimbabwe that was immensely lauded by the local government.
In 2020, UNHAN has, for the second time, provided postgraduate scholarships to four officers from the Zimbabwe National Army and Zimbabwe Republic Police for the 2020-2022 school year. Related news: Number of Indonesian tourists to Zimbabwe increases
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Aria Cindyara, Fardah
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
