RI advances transportation ties with Austria

JAKARTA. Austria and Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday to enhance transportation cooperation.

The MoU was signed by visiting Austrian Transport, Innovation and Technology Minister Doris Bures and her counterpart Indonesian Transportation Minister EE Mangindaan at the Transportation Ministry in Central Jakarta.

Bures said Indonesia was an important market for her country.

The MoU will involve sharing experiences, infrastructure and technical cooperation on transportation.

“We have sophisticated technology in the transportation sector. As the Indonesian population grows, the transportation issue will be very significant because Indonesian people need mobility,” she said.

She added that Austria had the expertise in alternative transportation such as cable cars and subways that could be crucial for Indonesia in the coming years.

Meanwhile, Mangindaan agreed that Austria possessed the technology needed by Indonesia to solve its transportation problems.

“Austria is a country with advanced experience in managing transportation, considering its location in the middle of Europe where many roads meet,” he said.

He added that cooperation between both countries in the transportation sector had started since 1987, especially in the railway and air transportation sectors.

Since 1995, Austria has been involved in various train-related work in Indonesia, such as maintaining trains in Sumatra, constructing bridges in Java and Sumatra and advancing the train industry in Madiun.

Mangindaan added that the government would initate a number of working groups to follow up on the MoU.

“The working groups are meant to monitor this cooperation. Austria has shown its eagerness to build serious partnerships by sending a prominent delegation, including those from the private sector,” he said.

The MoU also calls for the establishment of an Austria-Indonesia infrastructure and transportation cooperation forum, to facilitate dialogue between governments and private sectors from both countries. (dhi/yln)