ASIATODAY.ID, WASHINGTON – The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) met the Chairman of Freeport McMoRan Richard Adkerson during a visit to Washington DC, United States, Monday (13/11/2023) Local Time.
During the meeting, the issue of downstreaming was discussed.
President Jokowi also welcomed discussions regarding increasing Freeport shares in Indonesia and extending mining permits which have reached the final stage.
“I am pleased to hear that discussions about adding 10 percent of Freeport’s shares in Indonesia and extending the mining permit for 20 years have reached the final stage,” said President Jokowi to Richard Adkerson, as stated in a written statement received in Jakarta, Tuesday.
President Jokowi hopes that this can be resolved by the end of November this year. Meanwhile, Ad Interim Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Erick Thohir assessed that currently relations between Indonesia and the United States continue to improve, especially in the field of trade.
“If we look moreover, our trade surplus with America has reached almost US$ 16 billion and the growth in the last few years has been fast.
“US investment in Indonesia is now number four, which has never happened before,” said Erick.
Erick, who is also Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), said that this was the basis for President Jokowi to continue to encourage United States investment in Indonesia, one of which was from Freeport McMoRan.
Erick further revealed that in the meeting between President Jokowi and the CEO of Freeport McMoRan, the downstreaming carried out by Freeport was also discussed.
Erick said that currently Freeport is not only carrying out gold and copper mining activities, but has built a smelter to process it.
Erick said that Freeport’s investment has indeed been downstream, from previously only purely gold and copper mining, now industrialization has begun to be reduced by opening a smelter in East Java.
Erick also revealed that during the meeting, Freeport expressed a commitment to build other smelters in other locations in Indonesia, including in Fakfak Regency, West Papua Province.
Erick assessed that a number of things presented and discussed at the meeting were very good in order to increase investment which would have an impact on improving the welfare of the Indonesian people.
“These things that were conveyed earlier are very positive for us to continue to increase investment from abroad to create job opportunities in Indonesia itself as envisioned by the President,” he said.
Also accompanying the President at the meeting were Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Ad Interim Erick Thohir, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif, and Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Rosan Roeslani.
Also present at the meeting was the President Director of PT Freeport Indonesia, Tony Wenas. (AT Network)
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