Singapore-Indonesia Leaders' Retreat - Jan 2022

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited Bintan, Indonesia, on 25 January 2022 to attend the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo. This was PM Lee’s fifth Leaders’ Retreat with President Joko Widodo, following the Leaders’ Retreat in October 2019, which was held in Singapore.

PM Lee and President Joko Widodo reviewed the progress made on bilateral cooperation since the last Leaders’ Retreat and discussed ways to expand collaboration in key areas of priority for both countries. They also exchanged views on regional and global developments.

During the Leaders’ Retreat, PM Lee and President Joko Widodo witnessed the signing and exchange of a set of agreements negotiated on the basis of the ‘Framework for Discussions’ announced at the Leaders’ Retreat in 2019. These agreements are: an Agreement on the Realignment of the Boundary between the Jakarta Flight Information Region (FIR) and the Singapore FIR, a Treaty for the Extradition of Fugitives, a Joint Statement between the Defence Ministers on the 2007 Defence Cooperation Agreement and its Implementing Arrangement between the Singapore Armed Forces and the Indonesian Armed Forces (now referred to as “the Indonesian National Defence Forces”) for the Military Training Area in Indonesia, as well as an Exchange of Letters undertaking to bring the above agreements into force simultaneously.

The Leaders also endorsed the announcement of several Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), signed ahead of the Retreat, including in financial and economic cooperation, green and circular economy development, energy cooperation, and human capital development.

PM Lee was accompanied by Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam, Minister for Transport S Iswaran, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry Dr Tan See Leng, and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann.

(MCI Photos by Terence Tan)