President Jokowi Receives Bahrain House Speaker

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) received a courtesy call from Bahrain House Speaker Ahmed Ebrahim Rashed Almulla at the Merdeka Palace, here, Friday.

President Jokowi lauded the meeting between the parliamentary members of the two countries and the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two Parliaments, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs A.M. Fachir stated at the Presidential Office, here, Friday, following the courtesy call.

The head of state also invited Bahrain to invest more in Indonesia, Fachir noted.

Bahrain's total investment in Indonesia reaches around US$800 thousand spread across three projects.

The value of bilateral trade in 2016 had increased by 30 percent, to reach some $101 million, and it has huge potential to surge further.

"The opportunities are plenty. Hence, the president hoped for an increase in trade, particularly of Indonesian products, such as furniture, garments, and textile," Fachir stated.

Indonesia is optimistic that Bahrain's house speaker would support economic cooperation through the Gulf Cooperation Council.

"The president has invited King Al Khalifa to visit Indonesia," Fachir said.

It was also reported that the Indonesian house speaker will visit Bahrain.

Speaker Almulla was accompanied by Bahrain Ambassador to Indonesia Yasser Habib Alhaddad during the courtesy call.

Almulla was later scheduled to meet Indonesian Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri on Friday afternoon. (WDY)