Anticipating A Global Demand Reduction, The Government Forms A National Export Increase Task Force

Export (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The government has decided to form a Task Force (Satgas) to encourage an increase in national exports to anticipate a decline in global market demand.

Steps to form the Export Task Force are also to mitigate the decline in labor-intensive export-oriented industries as well as the potential for recession in other countries outside the People's Republic of China, the United States, and the European Union.

For information, the National Export Improvement Task Force was formed on September 20, 2023 through the Presidential Decree of the Republic of Indonesia Number 24 of 2023.

Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Susiwijono Moegiarso said that the formation of the task force is also considered to strengthen various efforts and strategies of the Government to further improve Indonesia's export performance in exploring new export destination markets such as India, Africa, and Latin America.

Meanwhile, to support the success of carrying out this task, in addition to accelerating the completion of a number of trade agreements, identifying potential and mapping potential export products must be carried out and the competitiveness of domestic products must also continue to be improved.

Today is the Kick-off Technical Meeting or Technical Coordination Meeting which discusses the mechanism and work plan of the Task Force Working Group. In the middle of next month, a Ministerial Level Meeting or Steering Team will be held. So, each Pokja starting from now on can prepare Priority Work Program Reports to be submitted at a meeting next month," he said in his official statement quoted on Thursday, January 25.

To lead the Task Force, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto was appointed as Head of the Steering Team.

The membership composition of the Steering Team consists of Deputy Chair I, namely the Minister of Trade and Deputy Chair II namely the Minister of Finance, then members consist of the Minister of State Secretary, the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister of Industry, the Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Environment and Forestry, the Minister of Investment/Head of BKPM, the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, Cabinet Secretary, and the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN).

The Steering Team's task is to formulate general policies to increase exports and policies to increase adaptive and responsive exports, to establish integrated and collaborative strategic steps in the context of implementing the policy.

As well as setting steps to solve strategic problems that are rapid and appropriate breakthroughs (business not as usual) that arise in the process of increasing exports, as well as coordinating related Ministries/Institutions, Regional Governments, and business actors/associations in order to increase exports.

Susiwijono on the occasion also explained that the Steering Team Limited Coordination Meeting would be scheduled at least once per quarter.

"We will prepare a report from the Implementing Team so that it gets directions from the Steering Team. For the Coordination Meeting, the Pokja is planned to be held every third Wednesday week every month, after the BPS release," explained Susiwijono.

Furthermore, Susiwijono explained that the task of the Implementing Team was to coordinate and synchronize strategic policies related to increasing national exports, following up on the direction of the Steering Team in implementing policies to increase national exports.

As well as establishing an annual work program at the beginning of the year, and providing recommendations to the Steering Team regarding policies to increase national exports.

"It's our job together to keep Indonesia's export performance good amid a decline in demand from the global market. Therefore, collaborative efforts from all institutions that are members of the Task Force are needed, including from employers' associations such as KADIN and APINDO, even from the Indonesian Embassy abroad," concluded Susiwijono.