President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) held a bilateral meeting with President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana during the 2024 Indonesia Africa Forum (IAF) in Bali on Monday, 2 September. The meeting took place at Casablanca Room, Hotel Mulia Nusa Dua Bali, where both leaders discussed efforts to strengthen the 65-year bilateral relations between Indonesia and Ghana. President Jokowi emphasized the importance of collaboration in the health sector, particularly between Bio Farma Indonesia and Atlantic Lab Science Ghana, to boost local vaccine production in Ghana and support vaccination programs across Africa. Additionally, Jokowi sought Akufo-Addo’s support in finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on food and drug supervision between the regulatory authorities of both countries, aiming to enhance synergy in the pharmaceutical sector.
Jokowi also proposed expanding cooperation in the energy sector, specifically in oil and gas exploration, including the establishment of an oil refinery in Ghana involving Indonesian participation. This initiative is expected to increase value-added production and meet Ghana's energy needs. Furthermore, Indonesia highlighted the importance of development cooperation with Ghana, offering to collaborate on specific programs through the Indonesia Aid mechanism, which includes technical assistance, scholarships, and vocational training. In his opening speech at the Joint Leaders' Session of the High-Level Forum on Multi-Stakeholders Partnership at the IAF earlier today, Jokowi reiterated Indonesia's readiness to partner with African nations to support the global development agenda. This partnership has already accelerated trade growth, resulting in significant trade agreements, with this year’s Indonesia-Africa Forum recording business deals worth USD 3.5 billion, nearly six times the value of the first IAF in 2018.
