Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia is once again officially an active member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Indonesias Governor for OPEC Widhyawan Prawiraatmadja has said.

In a statement here on Friday, Widhayawan said the reactivation of the Indonesian membership of OPEC was marked with its participation in the 168th Session of OPEC in Vienna, Austria.

Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said took part in the OPEC session which was attended by 12 other member countries.

Widhyawan, who took up the post of Indonesia governor for OPEC for two years (2015-2017), said as a big country with high and increasing energy needs, Indonesia must assure its energy resilience.

"Now, Indonesia is in the transition process which is dominated by a shift from fossil energy to new and renewable energy that is sustainable in the future," he said.

According to the minister, efforts to increase energy resilience are being made by developing the energy sector in the country, including making provision for license and investment facilities, encouraging explorations and improving governance.

"These measures are being strengthened through the states active role in external cooperation, both in terms of multilateral and bilateral cooperation," noted the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources.

Indonesia has also become a member of the International Energy Agency (IEA) since November 17, 2015.

Widhyawan said Indonesia will derive two gains from its presence in the two global energy organizations.

"Indonesia will become a part of the decision making, not a passive recipient of the decision," he noted.

Apart from that, the international energy networking will widen the access, thus facilitating acceleration of technological transfer, business opportunities such oil supplies and products that are mutually beneficial, access to research and development and opportunities for Indonesias best sons and daughters to take active part in the global energy organizations.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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