The MoU was signed by Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa and Swedish Trade Minister Eva Bjorling in the Swedish Prime Minister`s Office Rosebad, Stockholm.
The heads of state of the two countries, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, witnessed the signing of the MoU, which was carried out after the delegations of the two countries had a meeting.
Special Staff for International Relations Teuku Faizasyah explained earlier that the bilateral meeting between the two sides focused on a number of issues such as trade, investment, tourism, education, climate change and the environment.
"This visit will be used to reinforce mutually beneficial cooperation, particularly in the fields of economy, the environment and education," said Faizasyah.
In the meantime, the Indonesian Embassy in Sweden said in a press statement that in their meeting, the two heads of government also discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern, among others cooperation on peacekeeping efforts and Indonesia-European Union comprehensive partnership.
One day earlier, Indonesian Ambassador to Sweden Dewa Made Junarta Sastrawan and Swedish Ambassador to Indonesia Ewa Polano signed three letters of intent in the fields of health, science and technology and environment.
Sweden is an important partner of Indonesia with their two-way trade recording the highest among the Scandinavian countries.
Over the last five years, the two countries trade showed an upward trend and reached 6.91 percent.
Total trade between Indonesia and Sweden in 2012 stood at US$1.46 billion, up 28 percent from a year earlier which was US$1.05 billion.
In the investment field, the realization of Swedish investment in Indonesia in 2012 reached US$5.2 million with 11 projects. It increased four times compared with that in the previous year which was US$916 thousand with nine projects.
During his visit in Sweden, the President was in the company of First Lady Any Yudhoyono, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi and Industry Minister MS Hidayat.
Yudhoyono and delegation were in Sweden for a working visit until May 29 before leaving for the US to attend a High Level Panel meeting on Post-MDGs programs at the United Nations Headquarters.
He is visiting Sweden for the first time at the invitation of King Carl XVI Gustaf who visited Indonesia in January 2012.
King Carl XVI Gustaf was in Indonesia in his capacity as the chairman of the World Scout Foundation and at the invitation of the Indonesian Scout Movement to receive an honorary award from President Yudhoyono.
President Yudhoyono is the second Indonesian president to visit Sweden after former president Soekarno on May 3-5, 1959.
From Sweden, the Indonesian leader will leave for New York, the United States, to attend the fifth meeting of High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda and submit the final report of the panel to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The meeting will be the last of its kinds after similar gatherings were held in New York in September 2012, London in November 2012, Monrovia in February 2013, and Bali in March 2013.
The President said he will lead the meeting which will discuss and endorse the final report of the panel.
The Indonesian leader on behalf of co-chairmen and members of the panel will later submit the report to the UN chief.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has asked President Yudhoyono, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to co-chair the meeting which will discuss the post-2015 development agenda.
While in New York, President Yudhoyono will also attend UN General Assembly to brief the president of the UN General Assembly and UN members on the report.
The submission of the report will mark the accomplishment of the tasks and mandate of the panel appointed by the UN secretary general.
During his stay in New York, President Yudhoyono will also receive a World Statesman Award from the Appeal of Conscience Foundation (AoCF) for his services in promoting democracy, contributing to the creation of more peaceful international order, and encouraging respect for human rights, freedom of religion and inter-civilization relations.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
