Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong met Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in Bogor, Indonesia on Apr. 29, 2024 for the one-day Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat.

This was the final retreat between both leaders, as PM Lee will handover to Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong on May 15, and president-elect and defence minister Prabowo Subianto will succeed two-term president Jokowi on Oct. 20 later this year.

PM Lee very glad that retreat is his last overseas trip

This retreat, which is PM Lee's seventh, was also his last overseas visit since taking office 20 years ago.

Speaking to CNA and The Straits Times after the retreat, PM Lee said he feels very good and was very glad that the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat was his last overseas trip.

Describing this as a "valedictory meeting", PM Lee said he is glad to be able to round up all his past overseas trips with the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat.

He added that the retreat was "memorable in its own special way", explaining that it is "because of the depth of the relations between our two countries, and the significance this friendship holds for the prosperity and the stability of Singapore and of the region."

Bilateral relations will continue and strengthen

During an earlier joint press conference, PM Lee paid tribute to Jokowi and said Indonesia is set on a strong economic trajectory under the latter's leadership.

He added: "When Indonesia prospers, the region prospers."

PM Lee also paid tribute to the excellent progress in bilateral cooperation, saying that Singapore and Indonesia shared a commitment to deepening mutual understanding and building strong relationships.

He added that he was confident that both Wong and Prabowo would continue to bring the Singapore-Indonesia relationship to greater heights.

MFA said in a press statement after the retreat on Apr. 29 that PM Lee reaffirmed the commitment to strengthen the interdependence between Singapore and Indonesia, and expressed confidence that future generations would keep up the good momentum in bilateral cooperation.

Nusantara and green economy on the table

PM Lee also clued in CNA and The Straits Times on some of his discussions with Jokowi.

This included the potential of Nusantara, which will soon replace Jakarta as Indonesia's new capital, and where many Singapore companies have reportedly expressed their interest.

PM Lee said he and Jokowi also discussed possibilities in the green economy, such as cooperating to facilitate cross-border electricity trading by accelerating the development of power interconnectors between Indonesia and Singapore, and collaboration in carbon capture and storage.

Both leaders agreed that the bilateral relationship is on firm footing to embark on pathfinding cooperation in new growth areas and recognised the enormous potential of the green economy for both countries.

Agreements signed during the retreat

Sustainable mangrove ecosystem

Earlier during the retreat, both countries signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) on community empowerment activities relating to mangrove ecosystems in Indonesia.

Under the agreement, both governments will set up a bilateral framework to facilitate the participation of non-governmental organisations and stakeholders to promote the sustainable use of mangrove resources in local communities, starting with a pilot project on Setokok Island in Batam.

Other activities will include the sharing of best practices on the sustainable use of mangrove products and economic opportunities from mangrove ecotourism, as well as promoting community awareness on developing sustainable mangrove ecosystems.

Defence cooperation

Besides this, both governments also signed a new MOU on cooperation on digital transformation, and a joint update on defence cooperation, which looks back on key interactions in the past year, and highlights new and enhanced areas of collaboration for the year ahead.

Lastly, both leaders announced the launch of the pilot of the Tech:X programme.

The programme is a bilateral manpower arrangement which will allow young tech professionals from both countries to work in the other country, and gain exposure from doing so.

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Top image from Ministry of Communications and Information