INDONESIA, RWANDA SIGN VISA-FREE TRAVEL DEAL FOR DIPLOMATS, OFFICIALS

JAKARTA, June 7 (Bernama-ANTARA) -- Indonesia and Rwanda signed an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and service passport holders during a bilateral meeting in Jakarta on Thursday, reported ANTARA.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that the agreement will simplify regulations on the entry and stay of officials from the two countries and contribute to strengthening their relations.

Indonesia has granted Rwanda a visa on arrival (VoA) status since February last year to intensify people-to-people contact, she noted.

During the meeting, Retno and Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Vincent Biruta, also discussed political, security, and economic issues.

Indonesia and Rwanda have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on political consultations.

The MoU will serve as a basis for discussing various aspects of bilateral cooperation and exchanging views on regional and international issues.

Indonesia and Rwanda have also intensified security cooperation in recent years.

"We are now finalising an MoU between Indonesia's National Police and Rwanda's National Police on combating transnational organised crimes and enhancing capacity building. Hopefully, it will be signed soon," Retno said.

Regarding economic cooperation, she said that bilateral trade between the two countries has continued to improve after the pandemic.

Last year, the value of trade between the two countries increased by 100 per cent, and in the first quarter of this year, it climbed by 32 per cent.

"Nevertheless, we believe there is still ample room to grow," Retno said.

To boost economic cooperation further, the two ministers signed an MoU on trade, agriculture, industry, energy, and mining, among other things.

They also discussed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) between Indonesia and Rwanda and explored the possibility of a PTA between Indonesia and the East African Community (EAC).

-- BERNAMA-ANTARA