Indonesia Roundup: Prabowo to visit Russia, subsidised house sizes, $4.9 billion trade surplus

Prabowo to visit Russia and speak at SPIEF 2025

Indonesian member of parliament Farah Puteri Nahlia stated that President Prabowo Subianto’s state visit to Russia on June 19–20, 2025, and his participation as keynote speaker at the 2025 St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), represent a strategic move to strengthen Indonesia’s global standing and stimulate economic opportunities. She emphasised that the direct invitation reflects growing international recognition of Indonesia's role in global affairs and expressed hope that the bilateral meeting will advance comprehensive cooperation with Russia.

Rejection of plan to shrink subsidised house sizes

The Indonesian Architects Association (IAI) has formally opposed the government's proposal to reduce the size of subsidised houses to 18 square meters or less. IAI Chairman Georgius Budi Yulianto stated that such a reduction would severely limit physical and social mobility and violate existing architectural and health standards. He emphasised that a 14-square-metre unit for an entire family is inadequate for basic movement and interaction. He also cited international standards, including UN-Habitat's recommendation of 9 square metres of urban green space per person and the WHO’s 10 square metres benchmark for public open space.

Target for forming 80,000 village cooperatives achieved

Indonesia’s Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs has announced the successful formation of 80,000 Red and White Village/Sub-district Cooperatives (Kopdes/Kel)  nationwide. Budi Arie Setiadi, Minister of Cooperatives, confirmed the achievement in a written statement issued on Tuesday, June 17. The minister credited collaborative efforts as key to building a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable village economic ecosystem.

Indonesia to use mixed approach for giant sea wall project

Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), stated that the country’s giant sea wall will not be constructed entirely from concrete. The project will adopt an integrative approach, using concrete embankments only in selected areas. Natural solutions, such as mangrove planting, will be applied where feasible. AHY explained that this strategy aligns with international best practices and supports sustainable development. He made the remarks at the Mitra Praja Utama Regional Communication Forum in Central Jakarta on June 17.

Highest monthly trade surplus since February 2023 recorded

Indonesia posted a trade surplus of $4.9 billion in May, based on preliminary customs data, according to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati. Exports totalled $25.3 billion, while imports reached $20.4 billion. Final data from Statistics Indonesia is expected on July 1. If unchanged, the May surplus would be the country’s largest in over two years. April’s surplus was $160 million.