Indonesia is open to expanding cooperation in critical minerals for electric vehicle (EV) battery production with African countries. The Foreign Affairs Ministry's Director General of Asia, Pacific, and Africa, Abdul Kadir Jailani, at the press conference of the Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) here on Sunday, explained that Indonesia needs lots of critical minerals to produce EV batteries.

"To produce EV batteries, we need a lot of critical minerals, not just nickel, and we know that some African countries have critical mineral potential," Jailani stated.

He also mentioned the ongoing cooperation in lithium, namely between state-run mining industry holding Mining Industry Indonesia (MIND ID) and Tanzania.

He emphasized that it is not enough if Indonesia only depends on minerals that exist in the country.

"This energy cooperation is very beneficial for us because Indonesia needs critical minerals for energy transition, and we know that the supply can not only come from us," he said.

In addition to Africa's enormous potential for critical minerals, Jailani mentioned the opportunities in trade cooperation.

He explained that Indonesia's business relationship with Africa is currently low. Therefore, he said that it is time for Indonesia to strengthen its business relations with countries in Africa.

"It is time for Indonesia to reach out to Africa. We are changing our orientation; where we now see the African market as an untapped potential, it is time for us to optimize it," he said.

Previously, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said he is considering Africa as an EV battery market in expanding Indonesia's electric vehicle industry.

"The population in Africa will double by 2045. It will be a big market," Pandjaitan said at the International Battery Summit in Jakarta on July 29th.