The proposal was delivered by Pandjaitan during a working visit to Kinshasa, Congo, where his agenda included a meeting with President Felix Tshisekedi and primary stakeholders there.
"We delivered President Jokowi's (Joko Widodo's) proposal to form a trilateral cooperation in the form of tropical forest and carbon alliance that involves Brazil, DRC, and Indonesia," he said in a statement released on Thursday.
"This planned alliance is intended to combine efforts for protecting tropical forests and fighting climate change, which shows a collective commitment from involved countries," he added.
The alliance is scheduled to be inked on August 25, 2023.
In addition to discussing the trilateral cooperation, during the meeting, the minister and the DRC President also explored potential cooperation in a number of fields.
Pandjaitan underlined several main focus areas for Indonesia, including industrialization, digitization, decarbonization, interconnection, economic distribution, and education.
He also shared his views with Tshisekedi and highlighted Indonesia's experience and strategies in these fields.
"Indonesia and DRC have a large potential to achieve sustainable economic growth. I am happy to be able to share Indonesia's experience and strategies in various fields with President Felix," he said.
"We expect that the cooperation between the two countries can be mutually beneficial and contribute to sustainable economic development in DRC and other African countries," he added.
State-owned oil company Pertamina, which also participated in the visit, also expressed its interest in cooperating with DRC in exploring and developing oil and gas potential that has not been explored in a joint block with Angola.
The start of oil and gas production with Angola is expected to provide an opportunity for Congo to utilize its own natural resources and contribute to the growth of its energy sector.
In terms of military cooperation, Tshisekedi accepted Indonesia's offer to train DRC's military personnel. The agreement mirrored the collective commitment to improving capability to maintain regional peace and security.
Next, President Widodo has promised to deliver a battalion to strengthen the peacekeeping troops in DRC, which reflects Indonesia's dedication to maintaining international peace and security.
Pandjaitan also emphasized the importance of cooperation between DRC and Indonesia in the copper sector.
It has been projected that the price of copper will rise significantly, therefore, the two countries realize the value of such cooperation and the need for advanced technology to utilize this opportunity.
Pandjaitan also stressed the importance of developing bilateral relations and exploring cooperation opportunities with Congo.
"Indonesia and DRC continue their commitment to sustainable development, environmental preservation, and collective growth," he said.
"We cooperate in handling challenges and utilizing future opportunities for as much benefit toward the people of the two countries," he added.
Related news: Indonesia, Congo to pursue collaboration in array of aspects
Related news: Indonesia, Congo agree to establish defense, military cooperation
Translator: Ade irma Junida, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
