Denmark is upgrading green cooperation with Indonesia

During a visit to Indonesia, Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod (S) has signed an agreement on increased cooperation between Denmark and Indonesia. (Stock Photo). Photo: Bernd Von Jutrczenka / Ritzau Scanpix

On 22 November, Denmark signed a new cooperation agreement with Indonesia, JydskeVestkysten reports.

According to Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod who is currently in Indonesia, the focus in the new agreement is on the green transition in the Southeast Asian country.

“We are basically upgrading the Danish cooperation with Indonesia on the green transition. This action plan is a concrete contribution to that, says Jeppe Kofod.

The agreement has been signed with Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and contains 86 concrete plans for action between the countries from 2021 to 2024. A large part of them relates to the green transition, where Indonesia as the world’s largest producer of coal is “absolutely central”.

“The country is still very dependent on burning coal, but in return has enormous renewable energy resources, where we have expertise in Denmark that can help to convert faster,” Jeppe Kofod says.

A Danish business delegation that “can concretely help to put action behind the words” is also visiting the country together with Jeppe Kofod these days. “In the entire maritime area, we have a strong industry in Denmark that can help to restructure their maritime sector,” says Jeppe Kofod.

He points out that Danish companies, for example, can help Indonesia on its way to carbon-neutral ships. 

Indonesia has committed to becoming climate neutral by 2060. The country is among the world’s ten largest CO2 emitters.

The new agreement also includes cooperation in, for example, maritime safety, food, health, and culture. Denmark exported DKK 2.6 billion to Indonesia in 2020, which accounted for 0.2 percent of total export earnings.

Here, Jeppe Kofod also sees potential with the new agreement. “There is a huge potential to increase trade with Indonesia. There is also a huge potential in terms of investment in the country. It is a developing country that is adapting quickly, so several investments must be made in the coming years,” he says.

Indonesia has over 273 million inhabitants and was the world’s 16th largest economy in 2020.

About Gregers Møller

Editor-in-Chief • ScandAsia Publishing Co., Ltd. • Bangkok, Thailand

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