Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Indonesia and Cuba have signed a visa-free agreement for diplomatic and service passport holders, the Indonesian Embassy in Havana has said.

The agreement document was signed 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 here on Monday.

Acting Director General for America and Europe at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ngurah Swajaya, said that with the visa-free facility and after the ratification process from the two countries, holders of diplomatic and service passports from Indonesia and Cuba are free from the obligation to obtain visas to enter, stop and stay in their respective territories 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 broadly, said Ngurah Swajaya on the sidelines of the Indonesia-Cuba Bilateral Consultation in Havana, Friday (May 27).

"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.

According to him, currently there is one Indonesian company that has invested in Cuba in the hospitality 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 cooperation, 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 the Indonesia-Cuba cooperation consisting of four main elements, namely increasing 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.

Reporting by Indonesia Window