Indonesia, Cuba Sign Diplomatic Passport Visa-Free Agreement

TheIndonesia.id - Indonesia and Cuba have signed a visa-free agreement for holders of diplomatic and service passports, the Indonesian Embassy in Havana said. The agreement signing was carried out by Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno E. Rodriguez Parilla, according to a statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Havana received in Jakarta, Monday, May 30, 2022.

Acting Director General of the European Affairs of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ngurah Swajaya said after both countries ratified the agreement, diplomatic and service passport holders from Indonesia and Cuba were freed from the obligation to obtain visas to enter, stop and stay in their respective territories each within a period of not more than 30 days from the date of entry.

The two countries have the opportunity to cooperate more closely, openly, and widely, said Ngurah on the sidelines of the Indonesia-Cuba Bilateral Consultation in Havana, Friday, May 27, 2022.

"In the economic field, the relationship between the two countries is very good. When viewed in terms of trade volume, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rapid increase of more than 140 percent in 2021," he said.

Currently, there is one Indonesian company that has invested in Cuba in the hotel management sector. "This is a good start. It is hoped that in the future there will be more concrete projects that will strengthen relations between the two countries," he said.

The bilateral consultation meeting also discussed regional and global issues, various unfinished cooperations, mutual support in multilateral organizations, increased trade and investment, and the Indonesian Presidency at the G20.

In addition, the two countries also agreed on the preparation of a practical roadmap for Indonesia-Cuba cooperation which consists of four main elements: increased cooperation in trade and investment; cooperation in the fields of health, pharmacy, and biotechnology; cooperation in agriculture; and drafting of bilateral consultation mechanism agreements. Relations between Indonesia and Cuba have been going very well for 62 years in the political, economic, and socio-cultural fields.