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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Indonesia formally signed a package of seven Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at expanding cooperation across trade, health, education, ICT, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and other key sectors, state-run news agency APP reported on Tuesday.&nbsp;The signing ceremony took place at the PM House, with Shehbaz Sharif and visiting Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in attendance.&nbsp;Under the new agreements, both countries committed to strengthening bilateral trade and rebalancing trade flows &mdash; currently estimated at around US$4.5 billion &mdash; by boosting Pakistani exports (especially in agriculture and IT) and reducing import dependence on limited categories, such as palm oil.&nbsp;Pakistan offered to send doctors, dentists, and other medical experts to Indonesia to help meet its growing demand for qualified medical professionals.&nbsp;In addition, the leaders committed to promoting educational collaboration, including mutual recognition of higher-education degrees and certification of academic credentials under the framework between Indonesia&rsquo;s Ministry of Higher Education and Pakistan&rsquo;s Higher Education Commission.&nbsp;They also agreed to boost cooperation in information technology, SMEs, and halal trade certification to support entrepreneurs, small business growth, and trade in the halal industry between the two countries.&nbsp;At the joint press stakeout, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recalled that Pakistan and Indonesia have shared friendly and fraternal relations for over 75 years, dating back to pre-Independence support for Indonesia&rsquo;s freedom struggle. He emphasized that these new agreements are expected to further elevate bilateral relations to &ldquo;new heights.&rdquo;&nbsp;President Prabowo Subianto described the outcome of the talks as &ldquo;productive,&rdquo; welcoming Pakistan&rsquo;s support in health and education, and reiterated Indonesia&rsquo;s readiness to expedite the practical implementation of all agreed MoUs.&nbsp;The renewed push for cooperation comes amid a broader regional context, with both countries underscoring their commitment to deepening ties in trade, technology, human resources, and mutual capacity-building, a move that could strengthen economic links and foster greater people-to-people exchange across South and Southeast Asia. CDF Munir meets&nbsp;Indonesian president&nbsp;Separately, Pakistan&rsquo;s Chief of Defense Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, called on&nbsp;Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. The discussions focused on regional security and&nbsp;strengthening bilateral military ties, according to a statement from Inter-Services Public Relations, the military&#39;s media wing. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation in training, counter-terrorism, and capacity-building. President Subianto praised the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces and acknowledged Pakistan&rsquo;s role in supporting regional peace. Munir said Pakistan values its longstanding relationship with Indonesia and seeks deeper defense engagement.

Foreign Affairs

The two countries also agree to strengthen bilateral trade and rebalance trade flows, by boosting Pakistani exports, and reducing import-dependency on limited categories such as palm oil.

Islamabad, Jakarta agree to boost bilateral trade; collaborate in IT, health, education

Reuters

JAKARTA: More than 1,000 schoolchildren in West Java province, Indonesia, fell ill this week due to food poisoning linked to school lunches, officials said. This marks another outbreak in the country&rsquo;s large-scale free meal initiative led by President Prabowo Subianto. Governor Dedi Mulyadi told Reuters on Thursday that the poisoning incidents occurred in four areas within West Java, Indonesia&rsquo;s most populous province located on the island of Java. Non-governmental organizations have called for the suspension of the program over health concerns. The recent outbreaks follow a similar event last week when 800 students in West Java and in Central Sulawesi&mdash;an island in eastern Indonesia&mdash;fell ill after eating school meals supplied through the president&rsquo;s free nutritious meals program. Oversight issues in rapid expansion Concerns have emerged about the oversight and safety standards of the program, which has rapidly expanded to serve over 20 million recipients. The initiative aims to feed 83 million of Indonesia&rsquo;s 280 million people by year-end. With a current budget of 171 trillion rupiah ($10.22 billion), the program&rsquo;s funding will double next year. Governor Mulyadi reported 470 students became sick in West Bandung, a district in West Java, on Monday, with three additional outbreaks on Wednesday affecting at least 580 children in West Bandung and the nearby Sukabumi area. He said local hospitals were overwhelmed by the surge in patients. Mulyadi explained that kitchens responsible for preparing meals are often located far from schools and must begin cooking very early, sometimes the night before, causing food to spoil due to improper cooling. Health emergency declared No immediate response came from President Prabowo&rsquo;s office regarding the latest incidents. The Indonesian National Nutrition Agency, which manages the free meal program, confirmed that kitchens linked to the poisoning cases have been suspended. Footage from local broadcaster Kompas TV showed a sports hall in West Bandung converted into a temporary treatment center, with dozens of sick students lying on fold-out beds and on the floor. Ambulances were frequently seen transporting patients. Since the program&rsquo;s launch in January, at least 6,452 children nationwide have suffered food poisoning, according to the education think tank Network for Education Watch. The West Bandung district has declared a health emergency, enabling provincial authorities to allocate funds to tackle the outbreaks.

Muhammad Setiawan Pratama, 11, an elementary student receives treatment for food poisoning after eating government-sponsored free school meals, at a makeshift clinic inside a district's hall in Bandung, West Java province, Indonesia. (Reuters)

Asia

Food poisoning linked to Indonesia’s government free meal program has caused multiple outbreaks in Indonesia's West Java province, overwhelming hospitals as authorities declared health emergency.  

Articles tagged with "Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto"

Islamabad, Jakarta agree to boost bilateral trade; collaborate in IT, health, education

Over 1,000 Indonesian schoolchildren sickened by food poisoning