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Indonesian envoy invites Kuwaiti investment; trade steadily grows
KUWAIT: Indonesian Ambassador Lena Maryana praised the progress in Indonesia–Kuwait cooperation across politics, trade, investment, culture, and humanitarian efforts. Speaking to media ahead of her country’s 80th Independence Day, she highlighted the steady growth in bilateral trade, which amounted to $547.5 million in 2024. Maryana also pointed to Kuwait’s participation in negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement between Indonesia and the GCC.
“Indonesia deeply values the strong leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the Government of Kuwait. Together, we are confident that our partnership will continue to grow, bringing prosperity and welfare to both nations,” the ambassador said.
Ambassador Lena Maryana.
Growing workforce
The ambassador underlined the growing demand for Indonesian workers in Kuwait. “On average, around 4,000 job orders are submitted to our Embassy each year. We are ready to send more skilled and professional workers across various fields,” she said. She also confirmed that the deployment of Indonesian nurses to Kuwait is expected soon through government-to-government cooperation. “It is coming, inshallah, very soon. The Ministry of Health is now directly recruiting nurses from Indonesia,” she said.
In addition to the health sector, Indonesian workers contribute to various fields in Kuwait. In recent months, 37 Indonesian engineers have joined Kuwait’s workforce, she said. “Kuwait is also home to over 6,000 Indonesian citizens, many of whom contribute to healthcare, oil and gas, hospitality, and manufacturing sectors. The Indonesian Embassy continues to work closely with Kuwaiti authorities to promote fair labor practices and strengthen worker protection,” she added.
Maryana emphasized her country’s desire to strengthen its partnership with Kuwait in humanitarian projects across Indonesia. “Several schools and development programs in rural areas were established with support from Kuwaiti charity organizations. We believe this cooperation can be further strengthened to benefit those in need, ” she said.
An invitation to invest
Maryana confirmed discussions with Kuwait Airways to resume direct flights to Jakarta, saying: “Kuwait Airways used to fly directly to Jakarta until 2015. Last year, both sides agreed to increase flights from four times a week to daily, but with the cabinet change in Indonesia, negotiations need to restart. We hope to finalize this soon.”
Regarding tourism, she said: “By the end of 2024, around 5,090 Kuwaitis visited Indonesia. In just the first half of 2025, 581 Kuwaiti tourists had already traveled to our country.” Upcoming visits are also planned, she said. “In October, a delegation from Jambi Province, Sumatra, including business leaders, is expected in Kuwait,” said Maryana.
She also underlined the significance of Indonesia’s newly launched sovereign wealth fund, Danantara (Daya Anaga Nusantara Indonesia), which manages $1 trillion in assets. “Indonesia warmly invites Kuwaiti investors to explore opportunities in our priority sectors — minerals, energy, digital infrastructure, healthcare, financial services, industrial estates, and agriculture,” she added.
On Indonesia’s capabilities, the ambassador pointed to the country’s advanced industries, including aircraft manufacturing, defense production, and vaccine development. “Our state-owned companies produce military vehicles, helicopters, ammunition, ships, and even submarines. During the pandemic, we developed our vaccine to serve our 280 million people,” she explained.
The ambassador highlighted Indonesia’s progress in democracy and gender representation: “Our National Assembly now has 580 members, and we have introduced a quota system that ensures 30 percent women’s representation.”
This year also marks the first year of the Red and White Cabinet led by President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. The Indonesian government has launched its 2025–2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan, the first stage of the long-term agenda Indonesia Emas 2045 (Golden Indonesia), focusing on poverty reduction, human resource development, and sustainable economic growth.
As Indonesia marks its 80th Independence Day on Sunday, Maryana said the embassy plans to host an “Indonesian Night” festival to commemorate Indonesia’s Independence Day, involving community cultural and sports activities.
Held under the national theme “United Sovereignty, Prosperous People, and Advanced Indonesia”, Maryana said this year’s Independence Day celebration reflects the spirit of the Indonesian people to remain united. “This theme aligns with Indonesia’s grand vision and represents our determination to build a prosperous and advanced nation while preserving our national motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika — Unity in Diversity,” she said.
MANAMA: Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and its subsidiaries are showcasing the country’s oil sector achievements and global reach at the International Downstream Conference and Exhibition 2025 (IDCE 2025) in Bahrain. The three-day event, running through October 2, draws over 9,500 industry leaders from 53 countries.
The KPC pavilion highlights the accomplishments of its subsidiaries — Kuwait Oil International (Q8), Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), and Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC) — in refining, marketing and integrating oil with petrochemicals. Interactive displays and advanced screens showcase how Kuwait’s energy sector is driving economic growth and strengthening its role on the global energy stage.
Q8 CEO Shafi Al-Ajmi described IDCE 2025 as “an important milestone in the journey of the refining industry.” Speaking to KUNA, he said the conference offered Kuwait an opportunity to enhance its presence regionally and internationally, forge strategic partnerships, and meet the evolving demands of global energy markets while supporting sustainable economic development.
Officials honor Kuwait Oil International (Q8), which won first place in the sustainability projects category, in addition to another award recognizing its excellence in project execution.
Al-Ajmi noted that the conference attracted more than 50 countries, around 70 global companies, and over 200 speakers, reflecting its evolution from a regional to a global platform. “This large and diverse participation highlights the success of the conference in bringing together top experts from around the world,” he said.
The Q8 delegation, led by Al-Ajmi, presented the company’s future projects and best practices aligned with KPC’s 2040 vision. The company also won two of seven awards at the official conference dinner, including first place in the sustainability projects category for an initiative focused on environmental cleanup and promoting positive social behavior. Another award recognized Q8’s project execution, marking the successful completion of a reliability test within eight months of start-up, demonstrating operational efficiency and adherence to global standards.
IDCE 2025, hosted by Aramco and led by the Gulf Downstream Association, features more than 290 expert speakers across 130 sessions covering innovation, decarbonization and the downstream value chain. IDCE 2025 represents the collective support of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE, and provides a premier platform to advance industry development and enable participation in over $100 billion of investment opportunities in refining, petrochemicals, and sustainability. — Agencies
RIYADH: Kuwait’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Sheikh Sabah Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, presented his credentials to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, who received him on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz.
The ceremony took place at the Royal Court in Riyadh’s Al-Yamamah Palace, where the Crown Prince received a number of ambassadors from brotherly and friendly countries, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). During the reception, Crown Prince Mohammed welcomed the ambassadors, conveying the greetings of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and his own regards to the leaders of their respective countries.
He expressed his best wishes for their efforts to strengthen and develop bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia. The ambassadors, in turn, extended the greetings of their heads of state to the King and the Crown Prince, expressing gratitude for the warm and generous reception they received. — KUNA
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