Prabowo invites Germany to invest in Indonesia's critical minerals sector

President Prabowo Subianto invited Germany to participate in Indonesia's critical minerals supply chain and infrastructure development, as Southeast Asia's largest economy seeks to attract investment into its downstream processing industries.

Speaking at a joint press conference with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier after a bilateral meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday, Prabowo said Indonesia viewed Germany as an important partner in supporting the country's economic transformation.

"We also invite Germany to take part in the critical minerals and rare earth supply chain, as well as in the development of our infrastructure," Prabowo said.

Indonesia is promoting the development of downstream industries based on its abundant mineral resources, including nickel and other critical minerals used in electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies and advanced manufacturing.

Prabowo said the two countries also discussed expanding cooperation involving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including through the Partnering in Business with Germany program, which supports capacity building and business networking for Indonesian companies.

The leaders also discussed efforts to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

Prabowo said Indonesia would host the second meeting of the Joint Economic and Investment Committee (JEIC) later this year, which is expected to serve as a platform for advancing bilateral trade and investment cooperation.

"Indonesia will also host the second Joint Economic and Investment Committee this year," he said.

Germany is one of Indonesia's key economic partners in Europe, with cooperation spanning trade, investment, manufacturing and technology development.

The meeting comes as Indonesia seeks to attract more foreign investment into its mineral processing, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors as part of its broader industrialization strategy.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak