BOGOR, Indonesia — Singapore and Indonesia explored potential collaborations in the green economy and Indonesia’s upcoming capital, Nusantara, during an annual leaders' retreat hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday, April 29. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong mentioned that this was the seventh and final retreat for both leaders, who are stepping down from their respective roles this year.

Reflecting on the retreat, Mr. Lee described it as a “valedictory meeting” that not only highlighted the progress made over the past decade in resolving issues like airspace, defense, and extradition, but also laid the groundwork for the future. This meeting took place in Bogor, a city in West Java.

The retreat marked a transition point for both countries' leadership. Mr. Lee will hand over the premiership to his deputy, Lawrence Wong, on May 15. Mr. Joko Widodo, commonly known as Jokowi, will transfer his role to Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who secured a landslide victory in the presidential election on February 14. Both incoming leaders joined the meeting at the state palace earlier in the day.

During the retreat, Prime Minister Lee and President Jokowi discussed potential collaboration in the green economy, including electricity exports from Indonesia to Singapore. They explored cooperation between Indonesia's state-owned electricity company PLN and Singapore entities, with the potential for sub-sea transmission cables to support green energy trading. The leaders also addressed the development of Nusantara, Indonesia's new capital in East Kalimantan, with notable interest from Singaporean companies like Sembcorp, which announced plans to build an integrated solar and energy storage project in the region.

One of the companies participating is Sembcorp Industries, which entered into a joint venture with PLN to build a large-scale integrated solar project to supply clean energy in Nusantara. Widodo said that he looks forward to the development of solar power projects across the new capital.

"This is a project very close to President Jokowi's heart, so I'm glad we've been able to participate in it," said Mr. Lee, referencing a 50-megawatt solar and 14-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system being developed by Sembcorp in Nusantara.

Mr. Lee expressed that Singapore’s relationship with Indonesia, its largest neighbor, has been "very important" and hopes that Indonesia finds the partnership equally valuable. Over his tenure, Singapore and Indonesia have maintained a stable and collaborative relationship, even when dealing with challenging issues. The Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of good relations within the context of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), highlighting that a strong Singapore-Indonesia partnership benefits the entire region.

Regarding his final official visit, Mr. Lee reflected on his many overseas trips as Prime Minister, with Indonesia being one of his early destinations, attending then-President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's swearing-in ceremony in 2004. He noted that Singapore has played a significant role in international forums and has contributed to global discussions on climate change and trade agreements, like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

"I'm glad that I've been able to round up my many overseas trips with this one, which is memorable in its own special way," Mr. Lee said. He will continue serving in the Cabinet as Senior Minister after stepping down as Prime Minister.

When asked if he would continue attending official visits after stepping down, Mr. Lee acknowledged that he might still make appearances but hopes it will be less frequent in the future. Nonetheless, he said in Mandarin that he will do his best when required.