Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong held a retreat meeting in Bintan, Riau Islands on Tuesday to discuss several subjects, including strengthening cooperation on economic recovery and vaccine recognition.

"I would like to welcome Singaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong and his delegation. My meeting with PM Loong discussed efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, especially in the economic field, and exchanged views on various issues in the region," Widodo said in a virtual press statement issued on Tuesday.

Singapore is the largest investor in Indonesia, he noted. The city-state's investment in Indonesia from January to September 2021 reached US$7.3 billion, he said.

The meeting in Bintan recorded new investments worth US$9.2 billion, including for the new and renewable energy sector around Batam, Sumba Island, and West Manggarai in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) as well as the construction of a logistics hub at Tanjung Priok Port, the President informed.

"Investment in energy and renewable energy continues to be a priority for the Indonesian government in order to promote a green and sustainable economy," he said.

To support a green investment climate, a number of MoUs (memorandums of understanding) were signed at the retreat meeting, namely MoUs for energy cooperation and cooperation in green and circular economy development, he noted.

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To continue maintaining financial and monetary stability to support economic recovery, several collaborations were also signed, including an MoU on financial cooperation and another one extending the cooperation previously inked in November 2021—regarding the local currency bilateral swap agreement and bilateral repo line cooperation—by another year, Widodo informed.

The President also expressed the hope that an MoU between central banks related to payment innovation, anti-money laundering, and prevention of terrorism financing would be signed soon.

"In order to support safe human mobility, the two countries are currently finalizing cooperation on vaccine recognition and synchronization and the interoperability of tracking and protection platforms by the two countries," he added.

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Translator: Rangga Pandu A J, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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