Indonesia Envoy Hails Decades of Bahrain Ties, Backs Kingdom Amid Regional Tensions
"The friendships built here, personal and professional alike, will endure long after our departure"
By Habib Toumi
MANAMA: Indonesia and Bahrain have built more than four decades of friendship based on mutual respect, shared values and growing cooperation across political, economic and cultural fields, Indonesian Ambassador to Bahrain Ardi Hermawan has said.
Speaking at a reception marking the 81st Anniversary of Indonesia’s Independence, Hermawan said the two Muslim-majority archipelagic nations shared a common aspiration for peace, tolerance and coexistence.
He said bilateral relations had expanded over the years to encompass political dialogue, economic cooperation, trade and investment, parliamentary exchanges, culture and education, supported by growing people-to-people contacts.
Economic cooperation remains an important pillar of the bilateral relationship, the ambassador said, inviting Bahraini businesses to participate in the 41st Trade Expo Indonesia, scheduled for Oct. 14-18.
The exhibition is expected to bring together about 1,500 Indonesian companies and showcase a broad range of products, industries and investment opportunities, with a targeted transaction value of $17.5 billion, he said.
Hermawan encouraged Bahraini businesses to use the expo to explore new commercial opportunities, establish partnerships with Indonesian companies and further expand trade and investment between the two countries.
Turning to the regional security situation, the ambassador said Indonesia stood in solidarity with Bahrain amid heightened political and security tensions in the Middle East.
“The true strength of friendship is perhaps most clearly demonstrated during challenging times,” Hermawan said, expressing support for Bahrain’s efforts to safeguard peace, security and stability.
He also praised the Bahraini government for measures to protect citizens and residents, including the Indonesian community, and expressed appreciation for the cooperation extended to the Indonesian Embassy and its citizens during what he described as challenging times.
Hermawan highlighted Bahrain’s role within the Gulf Cooperation Council and its position as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2026-2027.
He said Bahrain’s resilience, moderation and commitment to dialogue and regional cooperation reflected its contribution to regional and international peace and security.
“Indonesia highly values Bahrain’s constructive role, particularly at a time when the Middle East is facing significant political and security challenges,” he said.
Indonesia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he added, looked forward to continuing cooperation with Bahrain bilaterally and through regional and multilateral forums in pursuit of peace, stability and prosperity.
The reception also marked a personal milestone for Hermawan, who is nearing the end of his diplomatic service in Bahrain.
He expressed gratitude to those who had supported the Indonesian Embassy and contributed to strengthening bilateral relations, saying their friendship and cooperation had helped advance economic and business ties, cultural exchanges and people-to-people relations.
Hermawan also invoked a verse from the Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Hujurat 49:13, describing it as a message that captures the essence of friendship among peoples and nations.
The verse says that humanity was created from a male and a female and made into peoples and tribes “so that you may come to know one another.”
Hermawan said the message underscored the importance of respecting diversity and building lasting bonds of trust and understanding among peoples.
This beautiful message reminds us that the diversity of our peoples and nations ought to bring us closer, encouraging us to know one another, to respect one another, and to forge lasting bonds of trust and understanding through the spirit of maintaining ties of kinship, he highlighted.
This spirit of “maintaining ties of kinship” has been at the heart of the friendship between Indonesia and Bahrain, one that has grown, over the years, beyond diplomacy and official cooperation into a genuine bond between our governments, institutions, communities, and, above all, peoples.
“It is among the most meaningful gifts my wife and I take home with us. Bahrain will remain close to our hearts, and the friendships built here, personal and professional alike, will endure long after our departure.”
