US-ASEAN Business Council Hosts Roundtable Luncheon in Honor of H.E. Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs of Indonesia

(Washington, D.C.) – On November 21, the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) hosted a roundtable luncheon in Washington, D.C. in honor of H.E. Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs of Indonesia. Noting the recent inauguration of Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto and the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Indonesia relations, the engagement came at a pivotal moment in the evolution of bilateral economic relations. ​ 

In his keynote remarks, Minister Airlangga highlighted Indonesia’s impressive growth over the last decade and cited the Prabowo administration’s goals to achieve eight percent growth while maintaining low inflation. He also shared the new administration’s objectives to become a hub for renewable energy—including hydropower, wind, and solar—in addition to exploring carbon capture and storage to achieve Indonesia’s net zero goals. Moreover, Minister Airlangga discussed boosting capacity for the country’s nickel and steel exports by the end of next year. ​ 

The luncheon gathered officials from the Governments of the United States, Indonesia, and other ASEAN member states; private sector executives; and representatives from the multilateral and academic sectors. Sade Bimantara, Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of Indonesia in the United States, remarked on the strong momentum of U.S.-Indonesia relations, exemplified by President Prabowo’s recent meeting with President Biden. He noted that USABC’s upcoming Business Mission to Indonesia will be instrumental in elevating economic partnerships between the two countries. ​ 

Marc Mealy, USABC’s Chief Policy Officer and Senior Vice President, noted that “with the inauguration of Indonesia’s President Prabowo last month, we find ourselves at a crucial moment in U.S.-Indonesia economic relations.” He emphasized that the roundtable set the stage for the Indonesia Business Mission, during which USABC will bring 50 companies to Jakarta from December 3 to 5, while also establishing a strong foundation for collaboration with the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs in the years ahead. 

The roundtable was generously sponsored by bp, Freeport-McMoRan, and ExxonMobil