Aim To Increase Exports, Indonesia Targets Non-traditional Markets To Africa

Deputy Secretary of Commerce Jerry Sambuaga. (Photo: Screenshot of The Ministry of Trade)

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Trade Jerry Sambuaga said Indonesia is currently continuing to strive to increase the market share of national products in the African region.

According to him, the move is a direct direction from President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to open trade networks in non-traditional markets.

"This is a direct direction from Mr. President as well as a real manifestation of the government to provide benefits to businesses and also the people of Indonesia", he said in the Socialization of Trade Negotiations that was broadcast virtually, Monday, April 12.

Jerry added that the strategy of targeting the African market is one of the keys to increasing Indonesia's export opportunities.

"The African market is very potential to help national businesses to be able to market their products to other regions that have not been entered", he said.

For information, the government through the Ministry of Trade is now exploring 21 trade cooperation in the exploration phase. Of the overall list, the majority are filled by countries originating from the African region.

Then, 22 trade agreements have been completed with various state partners, to then be ratified by the House of Representatives before it is implemented by the government.

"We hope that our partner in the House of Representatives, in this case, Commission VI, can immediately give the green light to the ratification process to bring benefits to all parties", Jerry continued.

Jerry Sambuaga also mentioned that 11 other trade agreements have been included in the bilateral discussion stage between Indonesia and trading partner countries.

"Of those 11, we target to be completed between 3 to 4 trade cooperation this year", said Jerry.

Most recently, Indonesia has recently tied the commitment to improve economic relations with China to $100 billion by 2024 from the previous round of $30 billion today.

It is mentioned that with these adjustments, the level of cooperation was raised from the Bilateral Economic and Trade Cooperation scheme in 2011 to the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).

"Tifa will be a higher level, and we agreed to deepen the trade activities of the two countries through the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement", said Minister of Trade Muhammad Lutfi in China during a virtual press conference, Friday, April 2.