Strengthening Qatar-Indonesia relations: 2023 Year of Culture and growing economic ties

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Labuan Bajo Indonesia a panoramic landscape.

Qatar and Indonesia have been enjoying a flourishing relationship, with the Southeast Asian nation being selected as the partner country for the 2023 Year of Culture. The strong bond between the two countries has been further strengthened by frequent communication and visits between their leaders, according to Ambassador of Indonesia H E Ridwan Hassan.

In addition to the bilateral relationship, both nations are working towards supporting international and regional peace, while also fostering cooperation in economic, tourism, and energy sectors. Qatar’s telecom giant, Ooredoo, has experienced successful business growth in Indonesia through its partnership with Indosat Ooredoo. Other Qatari companies with operations in Jakarta include Nebras Power and Qatar National Bank, highlighting the increasing economic ties between the two countries.

Ambassador Hassan noted that Indonesia expects to see a rise in investment flows from Qatar. Last year, he announced that a new hotel and resort developed by Qatar is set to open in Indonesia in 2024. The resort, located in Labuan Bajo on the western point of Flores island, is part of the Nusa Tenggara region in eastern Indonesia.

The Qatar-Indonesia Year of Culture represents a milestone in the relationship between the two nations, involving a vast number of people in cultural exchange projects to help them learn about the diverse cultures of both countries. Ambassador Hassan emphasised that Indonesia’s participation as a partner country is an excellent step for their bilateral relationship.

Several programmes are currently underway as part of the Year of Culture initiative, including the Fashion Residency in Indonesia, The Qatar-Indonesia Abaya Project, and CultuRide. The Fashion Residency in Indonesia connects designers from both countries, allowing them to explore Indonesian craftsmanship and design, focusing on unique artistic traditions such as Tasikmalaya’s needlework and Sumba’s metallurgy.

The Qatar-Indonesia Abaya Project is a distinctive collaboration merging the Indonesian traditional batik wax pattern-making technique with the Qatari traditional attire, the Abaya. Both projects are set to conclude in June, marking the end of an exciting year of cultural exchange and growth between Qatar and Indonesia.

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