Indonesia aims to become a major production hub for electric vehicle (EV) components and is seeking to bolster cooperation with African mining countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This ambition was unveiled at the Indonesia-Africa Forum, which concluded on September 3 in Bali.

"Indonesia is working to become a major production hub for materials for electric vehicles and their batteries," Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Pahala Mansury said at a press conference.

The DRC delegation at the forum was led by Deputy Prime Minister for Planning and Development Aid Coordination, Guylain Nyembo. He proposed several areas for future cooperation with Indonesia, focusing on boosting trade in goods and services and reinforcing cooperation in energy transition by encouraging major investments in renewables.

Indonesia, in turn, wants to cooperate more with countries that have vast reserves of minerals like cobalt, lithium, and graphite. According to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, $3.5 billion worth of deals should have been sealed during the recent forum, although the forecast is yet to be confirmed.

The first edition of the Indonesia-Africa Forum took place in 2018, where Indonesian investors signed $600 million worth of deals with various African countries.

OS