Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed receives President of Indonesia

The Crown Prince also took calls from the French and German leaders and met the new Sultan of Oman on a packed day of diplomatic relations

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, receives Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Courtesy Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, stand for the national anthems at Qasr Al Watan. Courtesy Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, welcomes Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, to Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday with an official ceremony. Courtesy Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, witness the signing of 16 agreements at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, welcomes Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, to Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Courtesy Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

An agreement between the UAE and Indonesia is signed during the President Joko Widodo of Indoneia's visit to Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed received the President of Indonesia at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

The Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces welcomed Joko Widodo to the palace with an official reception.

Sheikh Mohamed escorted Mr Widodo to the stage of honour while Indonesia’s national anthem was played. Artillery also fired 21 rounds to welcome his visit.

Mr Widodo was greeted by senior officials, Sheikhs, ministers and officials who welcomed him to the country.

Sheikh Mohamed and Mr Widodo went on to have a meeting where they discussed ways of furthering bilateral ties between the UAE and Indonesia, and issues of mutual interest.

"Today, I received my friend Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, and discussed bilateral ties with him as well as regional and international issues," Sheikh Mohamed said on Twitter.

"We share a common desire to promote mutually beneficial bilateral action."

The pair then witnessed the signing of 16 co-operation agreements between the two countries across a variety of sectors.

"Indonesia is an important partner with a regional and international presence. We are keen to strengthen cooperation for our mutual benefit," Sheikh Mohamed said.

The UAE and Indonesia have a steep history, beginning in 1976 when diplomatic ties began.

The Indonesian Embassy opened in Abu Dhabi in October two years later, at the level of charge d'affaires.

UAE Founding Father Sheikh Zayed visited the southeast Asian country in May 1990,  a year before the UAE embassy would open in Jakarta.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed visited the world's most populous Muslim nation in July last year, further strengthening economic, political and cultural ties.

Trade between the two countries amounted to about $2.2 billion in 2018, and the UAE is among the top 18 global markets for Indonesian exports. Indonesia is among the top 30 countries exporting goods and products to the UAE.

Also on Sunday, Sheikh Mohamed took calls from French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, agreeing on the need to "avoid escalation by giving priority to dialogue" regarding the latest regional tensions.

The Crown Prince also spent the morning in Muscat where he met Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, Oman's new leader.