High Cuan Potential, North Sulawesi Provincial Government Genjot Non-Oil And Gas Exports To Africa And The Middle East In 2023

Head of Daglu Industry and Trade Office of North Sulawesi Darwin Muksin, in Manado, Saturday (21/1/2023). ANTARA

SULUT - The Provincial Government (Pemprov) of North Sulawesi (Sulut) targets to increase the performance of local non-oil and gas exports to countries in Africa and the Middle East by 2023. "This year, we will push new markets to countries on the African continent and the Middle East, because the potential is still quite large," said the Head of Foreign Trade of the North Sulawesi Industry and Trade Office Darwin Muksin in Manado as quoted by Antara, Sunday, January 22. He said the commodities that would be encouraged to export to these countries were coconut derivative products, fisheries, and other plantation products. "We will continue to find new markets for exporters from North Sulawesi, so that more and more North Sulawesi superior products enter the international market," he said. He acknowledged export performance in 2022 has seen a decline in the impact of the global crisis and the Ukraine-Russian war. However, his party is grateful that the buyer's request remains, because the product sold by North Sulawesi is food products. He said that currently there are several countries in the Middle East and Africa that have become difficult export destinations, but this year it will be further improved. "We hope that exporters, farmers can improve quality and continue to innovate so that North Sulawesi's export products will be more diverse," he said. Middle Eastern countries that are the export targets of North Sulawesi are Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Bahrain, Palestine, and Turkey. Countries in Africa such as North Africa have six countries, South Africa five countries, East Africa 18 countries, West Africa 16 countries, and Central Africa nine countries.