Indonesians in Qatar celebrate 77th Independence Day

Flag-hoisting, Tumpeng cutting, and awarding of sports competition winners marked the 77th Indonesian Independence Day at the embassy in Qatar Wednesday. Led by ambassador Ridwan Hassan, the event was attended by members of the Indonesian community in Qatar, as well as Indonesian students who took part as flag hoisting troops.The celebration showcased Tumpeng, a popular Indonesian cone-shaped rice dish symbolising the gratitude of the Indonesian people for the blessing of independence. The envoy also awarded community members who won the embassy-organised competitions such as bowling, badminton, and table tennis as part of the Independence Day festivity.Hassan highlighted the strong bilateral relations between Qatar and Indonesia, which began in 1976. Qatar opened its embassy in Jakarta in November 1997 while Indonesia opened its embassy in Doha on June 22, 1999. Over the years, he noted that the two countries enjoyed cordial relations in various fields: Co-operation in the political field, for instance, has been manifested, among others, through co-operation on defence, as well as in the peacemaking process for Afghanistan.Qatar and Indonesia share a mutual partnership in the area of economy and trade with total bilateral trade reaching $893mn in 2021, according to the embassy. Indonesia's non-oil and gas exports were recorded at $217.2mn and imports amounted to $189.2mn, with Indonesia having a surplus of $28mn. Indonesia's oil and gas products from Qatar amounted to $486.5mn. From January to May 2022, total trade increased by 27.14% to $514.5mn compared to the same period in 2021.Indonesia's non-oil and gas exports were recorded at $100.6mn, up by 51.20%, and its imports also increased by 60.04% to $123.4mn compared to the same period in 2021. Overall, Indonesia experienced a trade deficit of $22.7mn. In the socio-culture field, Qatar and Indonesia entered a new phase with the selection of Indonesia as a partner country for the Qatar Year of Culture in 2023. Indonesia is the first Southeast Asian country to be selected as the partner country for this prestigious event. “In the coming months, Qatar will host the most-awaiting and one of the biggest sports events in the world – FIFA World Cup 2022. While Indonesia, in a different field, this year resumes its presidency of the G20. Next year, Indonesia and Qatar together will celebrate and appreciate their cultural relations through a year-long programme “Qatar – Indonesia Year of Culture. So, it’s time to collaborate stronger,” Hassan said.