Bappenas Discusses Potential Cooperation with Central America alongside Indonesian Ambassador to Panama

The Minister for National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas Rachmat Pambudy received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia to Panama Hendra Halim to discuss efforts to strengthen Indonesia’s cooperation with Central American countries, namely Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua, as well as to optimise the utilisation of Indonesian Aid funding. Ambassador Hendra Halim noted that Indonesia remains one of the Asian countries with relatively recent cooperation engagement in the region.

In response, Minister Rachmat shared Indonesia’s cooperation experience, which is expected to serve as a model for engagement in Central America.

“Indonesia has experience in cooperation with Pacific countries, which has received positive responses and appreciation while generating tangible impacts on those countries’ economic growth,” he stated at the Bappenas Office, Jakarta, on Monday, 4 May 2026.

Several areas of cooperation discussed in concrete terms included education, waste management, and the bioeconomy. Indonesia has previously collaborated in the region through bamboo handicraft training programmes and oil palm seedling development.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Hendra Halim also conveyed that Indonesia could support Nicaragua in the establishment of a halal institution. Minister Rachmat encouraged the utilisation of Indonesia’s existing international development cooperation assistance instruments.

Indonesian Aid funding is expected to be utilised not only for disaster response, but also to support more technical strategies, such as the deployment of planning experts and handicraft instructors. Indonesia will also request concrete proposals from partner countries through the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Panama for further follow-up.

The meeting generated various strategic ideas expected to foster more intensive cooperation between Indonesia and Central American countries, while delivering positive impacts on the economies and development of partner countries, as well as strengthening Indonesia’s position as a strategic development partner in the region