Increase Trade In Food And Beef Products, RI-New Zealand Will Issue Halal Certification

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government also appreciates New Zealand's cooperation and support for Indonesia's access to membership in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

This was conveyed by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto in a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Trade and New Zealand Export Improvement Damien O'Connor, at the series of Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Meetings, Tuesday, November 14.

On the occasion, the two ministers discussed the success of this IPEF Minister meeting in San Francisco which had successfully signed an agreement for Pillar II (Suppak Chain), and successfully completed Pillar III (Clean Economy) and Pillar IV (Just Economy).

In the trade sector, Minister O'Connor discussed the implementation of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA). As is known, the Minister of Trade of four ASEAN member countries, namely Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, together with Australia and New Zealand have signed the Second Protocol of AANZFTA on the ASEAN Economic Ministers Closer Economic Relations (AEM-CER) Consultation in Semarang on August 21, 2023.

"Indonesia has carried out all domestic processes for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and is currently reviewing opportunities to participate in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)," said Airlangga in his statement, Thursday, November 16.

The two ministers also discussed cooperation in halal certification between the two countries to support the increase in trade between the two countries, which are dominated by food products, especially beef.

In addition, the two countries are pushing for a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between Indonesia and New Zealand.

Entering the 65 years of bilateral relations between Indonesia and New Zealand, the two ministers also agreed to provide mutual support to various multilateral forums such as the implementation of the 13th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC13) in February 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and support for the Indonesian accession process in the membership of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Furthermore, the two ministers also discussed the continuation of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) negotiations in the coming year.