His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Indonesian President Joko Widodo held wide-ranging talks on ways to enhance bilateral relations and develop areas of co-operation, particularly in economy, energy, investment, tourism and infrastructure at Bogor Presidential Palace in Jakarta yesterday.
The session focused on the interest of the two countries and the benefit of the two peoples. They also discussed the latest developments on the regional and international arenas.
The meeting was attended by  members of the official delegation accompanying  the Emir. On the Indonesian side, the session was attended by a number of  ministers and senior officials.
Ahead of the session, the Emir and the Indonesian president held a meeting during which they reviewed bilateral relations and the prospects of their development at various levels, in addition to a number of current issues of mutual concern. 
The Emir and Widodo attended the signing of a number of agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between the two countries.
Among them were the signing of an MoU for the establishment of a joint committee between Qatar and Indonesia to deepen and develop co-operation between the two countries on political, economic, social, cultural, tourism, technological, navigational, agricultural and industrial areas and banking and financial services, and the signing of an agreement on air services between the two countries.
The Emir and  the president also attended the signing of an MoU for co-operation in the field of health to exchange information, experts and specialists, an MoU for co-operation in the fields of youth and sports, and an MoU between Qatar’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture.
The signing ceremony was attended by members of the official delegation. On the Indonesian side, it was attended by a number of ministers and senior officials. 
Addressing a press conference after the signing ceremony, the Indonesian president expressed his pleasure at receiving the Emir in Jakarta, describing the visit as a very important event as “it is the first state visit of the Emir to Indonesia and it is a symbolic visit as it coincides with the passage of 41 years of  Qatari-Indonesian diplomatic relations”. 
He stressed the economic nature of the visit, praising at the same time the MoUs signed in various fields. He said that during the talks the two sides discussed ways to enhance co-operation, especially in the infrastructure and tourism sectors, and agreed to follow up what was discussed during the meetings held between the two sides. 
The president also referred to the Indonesian community residing in Qatar and their contribution to the development, pointing out that the two sides also agreed to strengthen co-operation and maintain the unity of the nation in the face of various challenges.
The Emir expressed pleasure over his visit to Indonesia, noting the issues of mutual interest that were addressed during the talks.
Sheikh Tamim also noted the agreement signed between the two countries to complete the follow-up of the topics that have been agreed upon, expressing optimism for positive results 
after this visit.
He said that Indonesia is an important country “in our Islamic world”. Referring to the plight of the Rohingya, he said an urgent solution needed to resolve the issue. “Qatar has provided assistance to mitigate their sufferings and it was the duty of countries to provide assistance to affected people. The Myanmar government must put an end to this problem.”
The Emir said that the unjust siege and its humanitarian effects on the people of Qatar and the Gulf countries were also discussed, stressing that Qatar was always ready for dialogue “to resolve these issues because there is no winner, we are all brothers and we are all losers due to this crisis, and therefore Qatar is open to dialogue in accordance with agreements binding on all parties to respect the sovereignty of states”.
The Emir concluded his press statement by wishing the Indonesian president and people further success and further consolidation of bilateral relations.
The Emir attended  a luncheon banquet hosted by the president at the Bogor Presidential Palace. The  banquet was attended by a number of Indonesian ministers and high-ranking officials.
Earlier, the Emir was accorded an official reception at Bogor Presidential Palace. Widodo led well-wishers to welcome  the Emir upon arrival at the palace.
Following the reception ceremony, the Emir planted a sapling of Jasmine, the national flower of Indonesia, at the presidential palace garden.
After a two-day state visit, the Emir left Indonesia yesterday afternoon. The  Emir and the accompanying delegation were seen off at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport by Minister of Education and Culture Dr Muhadjir Effendy, Qatar’s ambassador to Indonesia Ahmed bin Jassim al-Hamar,  Indonesia’s ambassador to Qatar Muhammad Basri Sidehabi, a number of  heads of Arab diplomatic missions accredited to Indonesia and members of the Qatari embassy.
The Emir was accompanied by an official delegation.
His Highness the Emir  returned home yesterday evening after an Asian tour that also included Malaysia and Singapore.