Ministry Of Trade Prepares Non-traditional Market For Indonesian Exports

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) has prepared a non-traditional market for Indonesian exports as an alternative to responding to the United States (US) tariff policy to Indonesia of 32 percent.

The Director General (Dirjen) of International Trade Negotiations of the Ministry of Trade, Djatmiko Bris Witjaksono, revealed that his party has focused on opening various alternative markets, non-traditional markets through trade cooperation.

Djatmiko said one of them was the Indonesia-Canada CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) which was completed in December last year.

Hopefully, we can sign it for a while. We can take it and then ratify it as soon as possible. This is also a very promising alternative market supported by tariff and non-tariff facilitation instruments in North America," he said in a virtual press conference, Monday, April 21.

"This tone will be our first agreement in the North American region," he continued.

Not only that, but Djatmiko also revealed that there are other markets targeted by the government, namely Saudi Arabia. He considered the country a potential market.

"And this has been able to change the structure of our trade with the United Arab Emirates, which we previously deficited, now we can have a surplus. We have had many benefits," he said.

In addition, continued Djatmiko, the Ministry of Trade is also targeting the discussion of the trade agreement with Tunisia, one of the countries in the North African region can be completed soon.

Furthermore, Djatmiko said Tunisia was also close to Al-Javair, adjacent to Morocco, with Egypt and Libya.

"It will be an entry point that in our opinion can provide great opportunities for products originating from Indonesia to be marketed in the areas of Maghribi countries," he said.

Djatmiko also said that Indonesia would also complete negotiations on trade cooperation with Peru. He considered Peru as a sufficiently progressive developing country, and could become a promising market for Indonesian products.

"Then we also have, we have completed negotiations with Peru. This is also almost finished, please pray, hopefully we can finish it at a fast tempo," he said.

Then, continued Djatmiko, the government is also still targeting the completion of the trade agreement with Indonesia-EU CEPA. This includes the trade agreement with Eurasia this year.

"In addition to trying to complete the agreement which is also quite long, we are negotiating, namely with the European Union, we are also trying to resolve it this year, namely with Eurasia. Eurasia is a custom union, consisting of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tiri Istanbul," said Djatmiko.

"This also has enormous potential, if we can have Eurasian agreements, it will enter us into Eastern Europe and parts of Central Asia," he continued.