JAKARTA - The cooperation of the Indonesia Open Network or ION for digital MSMEs is no longer stopping at a memorandum of understanding. Minister of MSME Maman Abdurrahman said the discussion had entered the technical stage and only needed to be accelerated.
Maman said ION was directed to encourage MSMEs to enter the digital ecosystem. Not only selling online, but also getting wider access to markets and financial services.
"The planning of friends at ION is relative to our efforts to develop the digital-based MSME sector," said Maman at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday, July 7.
The statement was made by Maman after a meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to Maman, the Indonesian government welcomes this cooperation because it is considered to help the development of MSMEs.
"So we from the Indonesian government of course must welcome this as a step to encourage the progress of our MSMEs in Indonesia," he said.
Maman said the follow-up to the ION cooperation had passed the MoU stage. Currently, the Ministry of MSME, APINDO, MSME players, and the ION Network team are detailing the technical implementation. "Now the follow-up stage of the cooperation is actually no longer at the MoU stage, but has entered the technical level," said Maman.
He said that the technical discussion included details of the implementation of cooperation. The government wants the process to be accelerated so that the benefits can be immediately felt by MSMEs.
"Friends of MSMEs together with APINDO and friends from the ION Network are now detailing, technicalizing everything," he said.
When asked about the target for implementing the cooperation, Maman answered briefly.
"As soon as possible," said Maman.
He said that the scope of ION cooperation was aimed at MSMEs throughout Indonesia. Therefore, the government considers this program needs to be immediately encouraged.
"All of Indonesia. So this is a form of mutually beneficial cooperation. We from the Ministry of MSME actually have to speed this up," he said.
Maman also said President Prabowo and PM Modi had agreed to follow up on the cooperation in the near future.
Chairman of the General Association of Indonesian Businessmen (DPN) APINDO Shinta Widjaja Kamdani who was interviewed together with the Minister of MSME welcomed the cooperation of ION. According to Shinta, the MSME ecosystem is an important part of the development of the Indonesian Open Network.
"APINDO of course welcomes this cooperation with the very important UMKM ecosystem," said Shinta.
Shinta said that the cooperation was a follow-up to President Prabowo's visit to India. After the two heads of state signed, the implementation began.
"This is the result of the President's visit to India, it has been signed by the two heads of state. The implementation is already underway," he said.
Maman said ION's cooperation was also related to the needs of MSMEs for access to financing and marketing. He said the program would be a package with a wider ecosystem.
"This is actually a combo program. MSMEs also get full access to enter finance, marketing, and everything in the context of opening a fairly broad ecosystem," said Maman.
The government has not detailed the number of MSMEs that will be included in the initial phase of the ION cooperation. Maman only confirmed that its reach is prepared for the whole of Indonesia and its implementation is being accelerated.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
