VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and the Foreign Minister of Panama, Erika Mouynes met at the Pancasila Building of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thursday (07/04/2022), agreed to strengthen post-pandemic economic cooperation.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that one of the strengthening of economic cooperation would be to start by intensifying the meeting of businessmen from the two countries.

“And we agreed to further explore steps to improve economic ties by bringing the private sectors of Indonesia and Panama closer together through the Indonesia-Latin America and Caribbean Business Forum (INA-LAC), inviting the Panamanian business sector to use INA-Access, a TTI Platform. , to explore trade and investment opportunities, and improve market access for Indonesian products, such as fisheries, pharmaceuticals, garments," said the Indonesian Foreign Minister in a press statement held after the meeting.

Furthermore, Retno Marsudi ensured that investment cooperation is also an important sector in strengthening post-pandemic economic cooperation with Panama.

"We also agreed on the need to explore greater investment between our two countries, because the investment value is still far from pre-pandemic levels," he said.

On that occasion, the Indonesian Foreign Minister also appreciated the decision of the Panamanian government to remove Indonesia from the banned list.

The decision is believed to have an impact on the intensification of interaction between the people of the two countries.

"In this note, Indonesia recorded positively the information received last night and confirmed at the meeting, that Indonesia has been removed from Panama's banned list. Because, it will help speed up the visa application process for Indonesians, and increase closer interactions among our people, including between our business communities," said Retno Marsudi.

Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes ensured that economic cooperation with her country as an effort to recover from the post-pandemic, will greatly benefit due to the availability of adequate connectivity.

“We connect more than 2,000 maritime lines connected in Panama, also by air is the top in America. We also have eight fiber optic cables that make us a leader in the digital field,” said the Panamanian Foreign Minister.

"Thus, the key players that Panama represents in America have a natural bridge and in Southeast Asia especially in Indonesia, with the role they play in supply chains around the world," he continued.

Mouynes assured Indonesia regarding economic cooperation, it was appropriate to do it with Panama by referring to a number of achievements.

“Panama's economy grew 14 percent last year, which is the largest growth of any economy in our region. And we stick with one of the most positive outlooks for the year. Couple that with the connectivity that Panama shares and in America if you want to connect, you have to go through Panama,” he said.

RI-Panama trade value in 2021 increased by 59.05%, more than USD 170 million, compared to 2020 which was USD 109 million.

The bilateral meeting between the Indonesian Foreign Ministers and Panamanian Ministers also discussed the impacts faced by women and girls due to the COVID-19 pandemic, agreed to strengthen cooperation in the health sector and exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine.

The meeting was also coupled with the signing of a memorandum of understanding regarding cooperation in Diplomatic Capacity Building and a Strategic Partnership Letter of Intent between the Transportation Human Resources Development Agency of the Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia and the International Maritime University of Panama. (RRI)