The Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Usra Harahab, has emphasized the shared defense and security challenges between Indonesia and Nigeria, highlighting their ongoing cooperation to combat terrorism.
Harahab, a retired Air Vice Marshal in the Indonesian military, shared these insights during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday.
Reflecting on his six-year tenure in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Harahab noted how his military expertise has shaped Indonesia’s diplomatic-military strategies in the region.
“My military background does not mean I’m not able to do diplomatic jobs because diplomatic action is a kind of war without a weapon,” he explained. “We come here to share experience because we know Nigeria has a lot of experience to solve the problem of terrorism through counter-terrorism. And also Indonesia, we have plenty of experience in that.”
As the Indonesian ambassador with concurrent accreditation to ECOWAS, Harahab extended his diplomatic efforts to countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, particularly during periods when these nations considered leaving ECOWAS.
“We tried to stop the escalation of terrorism through diplomatic efforts. Diplomacy is very effective in making the situation not to escalate,” Harahab said, underscoring his focus on fostering peace in the subregion.
The ambassador also highlighted Indonesia’s support for Nigerian military personnel through scholarships at the Indonesian Defense University, a program that has already seen several young officers graduate, with more currently undergoing training.
As the longest-serving Indonesian ambassador to Nigeria, Harahab expressed pride in the significant strides made in strengthening relations between the two nations.
He described his efforts as a foundation for his successors to build upon.
“Indonesia is a big country, Nigeria is a big country. It’s our duty to drive growth between both countries to solve challenges. We need to have strong commitment to build our relationship with Nigeria and other accreditation countries; a strong commitment to complement each other,” Harahab said.
Looking back, Harahab revealed a personal fondness for Nigeria’s culture, particularly its cuisine.
“I will miss some Nigerian dishes, which I fell in love with while in the country, particularly Suya meat, that is, roasted beef garnished with local spices,” he admitted.
According to NAN, trade relations between Nigeria and Indonesia are robust, with Nigeria ranking as Indonesia’s second-largest African trade partner after South Africa.
The current trade volume between the two nations stands at approximately $4 billion.
