Image source: Muchlis Jr - Cabinet Secretariat

Indonesia President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz officially opened the Indonesia Pavilion at Hannover Messe 2023, the world’s largest industrial trade fairs, on Sunday, April 16. 

Modeled after the Phinisi, a type of Indonesian sailing vessel, the Indonesia pavilion became the platform where both leaders delivered remarks that reaffirmed their commitment to the long-standing and growing cooperation between Jakarta and Berlin. 

“It is an honor for Indonesia to again be the official partner country of Hannover Messe. Making Indonesia 4.0 is a relevant theme for Indonesia, which is on the process of transformation,” said President Jokowi in his opening remarks, referring to Indonesia’s strategy of adopting Industry 4.0 practices in becoming a more industrialized nation. 

President Jokowi highlighted the potential in investment and cooperation in the development of Indonesia’s downstream industry and in the energy transition sector, saying that Indonesia would close all coal-fired power plants by 2050. 

“Indonesia also aims to ensure that the energy transition produces affordable energy for our people,” he added. 

Following Jokowi’s remarks, Chancellor Scholz said Germany was looking forward to concluding the Indonesian-EU Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that has been in the works since 2016, particularly in the effort to reduce German’s reliance towards China for crucial commodities needed to reach a zero-carbon economy. 

“I am working to finally get this agreement across the finish line,” Mr. Scholz said. “At the moment, we import many [crucial commodities] from China. And that’s despite the fact that rare earth, copper or nickel are often not extracted there but in countries such as Indonesia, Chile or Namibia. We want to change that. 

The Indonesia pavilion hosts 157 Indonesian co-exhibitors organized by the sub-themes of Engineered Parts and Solution, Future Hub, Sustainability and Energy Transition, Global Business and Markets, Compressed Air and Vacuum, Digital Ecosystems, Drive Technology and Automation, and Motion and Drives. 

The Indonesia pavilion also highlights the country’s development of its industrial zones and special economic zones, as well as the new Indonesian capital city.  

Hannover Messe, which also hosts more than 4,000 exhibitors from 63 countries, will be held from April 17-21, 2023.