Indonesian President Joko Widodo received a courtesy visit of Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Zoyir Mirzaev at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday, Antara news reported.
Accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi and State Secretary Pratikno, Widodo received Zoyir Mirzaev and his delegates at the oval room of the palace at 2.00 p.m. local time.
Mirzaev, who is in charge of Agriculture and Fisheries, was accompanied by the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Indonesia Shavkat Jamalov, Governor of Bukhara province of Uzbekistan Uktam Barnoev, Director of the AgroBank of Uzbekistan Saidkamol Khodjaev, Chairman of UzbekBaliqSanoat (Uzbek Fish Industry) Association, and Muzaffar Abduazimov, a translator.
Marsudi stated that the honorary visit by Mirzaev was aimed at strengthening cooperation, especially in the fields of agriculture and fisheries.
"Mirzaev, who is also in-charge of agriculture and fisheries, expressed hope that the two areas could be priorities of cooperation for Indonesia and Uzbekistan," she noted.
Marsudi also remarked that the president of Uzbekistan was interested in the programs launched by Widodo. Hence, the deputy prime minister was sent to visit Indonesia to study the developments in fisheries and agriculture sectors.
She disclosed the problems encountered in the agricultural sector to the Uzbekistan party. Mirzaev then discussed issues on food self-sufficiency program and the development of pepper with Indonesian Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman.
In addition, Marsudi explained that the Uzbekistan party had sought to learn aquaculture.
"They have asked Indonesia to build concrete cooperation. The Indonesian president had already agreed to that after Mirzaevs visit. The Indonesian delegation will visit Uzbekistan to realize the cooperation," she asserted.
Marsudi stated that the cooperation in the field of trade had a great potential for improvement.
"There are still many potentials to be developed as Uzbekistan has 32 to 33 million people (that could become a great market)," she remarked.
Marsudi also revealed that trade of Indonesia and Uzbekistan in 2017 increased by 250 percent, so that the field of economy, including trade, fisheries and agriculture sectors, would be priorities for bilateral cooperation.
Indonesia-Uzbekistan trade currently reaches US$11 million, with Indonesia importing cotton from Uzbekistan and exporting furniture and crude oil to Uzbekistan.
