HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Indonesian President Joko Widodo inspect a guard of honour at the Emiri Diwan. Right: HH the Emir and the Indonesian president attend the signing of an agreement between the two countries.

QNA/Doha

HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday held talks with visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the Emiri Diwan.
HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Haman al-Thani and ministers attended the talks.
On the Indonesian side, the talks were attended by members of the official delegation accompanying Widodo.
Talks dealt with bilateral relations and means to develop them in different spheres in addition to regional and international issues of common concern.
Following the talks, HH the Emir and the Indonesian president witnessed the signing of an agreement on abolition of entry visa requirement for holders of diplomatic, service and special passports and the annex of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Indonesia and Qatar Investment Authority.
An official reception ceremony was accorded to Widodo upon his arrival at the Emiri Diwan.
Earlier, the Emir hosted a luncheon banquet in honour of Widodo and his delegation. Widodo was welcomed upon arrival at Hamad International Airport by HE the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage Dr Hamad bin Abdul Aziz al-Kuwari.
Widodo is also visiting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to boost Jakarta’s ties with the three countries, particularly on investment, trade and Indonesian migrant worker protection, according to the Jakarta Post newspaper.
Saudi Arabia is Indonesia’s largest trading partner in the Middle East region, the UAE is the main destination of Indonesian exports to the Middle East and Qatar is the Middle Eastern country with the biggest investment in Indonesia, which includes portfolio investment, said the newspaper.
“As an important economic co-operation partner in the region, particularly on trade and investment, we (Indonesia) expect the visit will be able to open up greater market access for Indonesian products in the Middle East market,” the president was quoted by the Jakarta Post at a press conference at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport before he took off.
“And we also expect this visit to encourage investment, to bring in direct investment in infrastructure and financial sectors, as well as income in terms of portfolio investment from the three countries,” he added.
Trade between Doha and Jakarta reached $1.68bn last year, according to the paper.
The president will also use the visit to push the three countries to give better protection for the more than 1.4mn Indonesian migrant workers in the Middle East, the paper said.
“Protection for Indonesian migrant workers will also be the focus of this visit. The government will push the three countries to keep providing protection and attention to Indonesians and Indonesian migrant workers,” Widodo said.