Zulhas' Message To The New Minister Of Trade: Must Work Hard To Make New Breakthroughs

Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan advised the next candidate for the Minister of Trade to make breakthroughs in the trade sector in order to realize 8 percent economic growth.

"The president-elect target is 8 percent, it must work hard, cooperation in making new breakthroughs," said Zulkifli at the Jakarta Ministry of Trade Office, quoted from Antara, Friday, October 18.

Zulkifli also said that new leaders at the Ministry of Trade must continue negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership of Indonesia and the European Union or Indonesia - EU Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU CEPA) which is still ongoing.

According to him, this is important to eliminate various trade barriers between Indonesia and the European Union.

Furthermore, said Zulkifli, the completion of the trade agreement with other countries will be delegated to the next government.

"That is so that we are free from tariffs, so the trade agreement is to eliminate the current many trade barriers," he said.

Zulkifli Hasan's leadership as Minister of Trade will end on October 20, 2024, along with the inauguration of the elected president Prabowo Subianto.

Zulkifli Hasan was appointed as Minister of Trade (Mendag) by President Jokowi during the 2022-2024 Advanced Indonesia Cabinet period. He replaced his predecessor Muhammad Lutfi.

His name is included in one of 49 figures who emerged as a ministerial candidate in the Prabowo-Gibran government cabinet for the period 2024-2029.

Zulkifli is known to have visited the residence of Elected President Prabowo Subianto, in the Kartanegara IV area, South Jakarta, on Monday, October 14.

During the meeting, Prabowo summoned various figures to fill strategic positions in his cabinet. He admitted that he got assignments related to food self-sufficiency.