VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta (voinews): The value of Indonesia's exports in March 2023 reached US$23.50 billion (about Rp346.38 trillion), up 9.89 percent month-to-month (mtm), Statistics Indonesia (BPS) has reported.

"In the last three years, month-to-month export growth in March has always increased. (However) the increase in (March) 2023 was not as high as in 2022 and 2021," Deputy for Methodology and Statistical Information at BPS Imam Machdi informed at a press conference on Monday.

The growth in March was supported by an increase in the exports of raw mineral materials as well as the iron and steel industry.

Exports in March were dominated by the non-oil and gas sector, which recorded exports of US$22.16 billion (Rp326.62 trillion), or up 9.71 percent mtm.

The largest increase in value in the sector was experienced in the exports of mineral fuel commodities, which climbed by US$568.8 million (Rp8.38 trillion), or 14.29 percent mtm.

"Meanwhile, the largest (value) decline in the non-oil and gas sector occurred in the exports of animal/vegetable fats and oil commodities, which fell by around US$260 million (US$3.83 trillion) or 10.53 percent (mtm)," the deputy informed.

Furthermore, exports in the oil and gas sector rose by 12.79 percent mtm in March to reach US$1.34 billion (Rp19.75 trillion).

Compared to the export values recorded in February, all sectors experienced positive growth, with the mining and other sectors witnessing the highest growth of 18.43 percent mtm.

Exports to China, Japan, and the United States accounted for the largest share of Indonesia's exports in March.

Indonesia's exports to the three countries were recorded at US$5.67 billion (Rp83.57 trillion), US$1.97 billion (Rp29.04 trillion), and US$1.78 billion (Rp26.24 trillion), respectively, and accounted for 42.51 percent of Indonesia's total exports in March.

In addition, the value of the nation’s exports to the ASEAN region and European Union countries amounted to US$4.09 billion (Rp60.28 trillion) and US$1.53 billion (Rp22.55 trillion), respectively.

However, although it experienced a month-to-month increase, the total export value in March declined by 11.3 percent year-on-year (yoy).

The growth of all sectors also declined compared to the achievement in March 2022. The biggest decrease was experienced by the manufacturing industry, which fell 13.67 percent (yoy).

West Java province contributed the most to Indonesia's exports in January–March 2023, accounting for US$9.19 billion (Rp135.45 trillion), or 13.68 percent of the country’s total exports during the period.

It was followed by East Kalimantan province with a contribution of US$7.95 billion (Rp117.18 trillion) or 11.83 percent and East Java province with US$6.31 billion (Rp93 trillion) or 9.38 percent. (Antaranews)

VOInews, Jakarta: President Joko Widodo stressed the importance of realizing equal economic relations between Indonesia - Germany and also Indonesia and the European Union (EU), in a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at Guesthouse Lower Saxony, Hannover, Germany.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi who also accompanied the President said, to achieve this, President Joko Widodo invited Germany to work together to fix various EU regulations that hindered the realization of this equality.

"Mr. President also asked for Germany's support so that negotiations on the Indonesia-EU CEPA Agreement can be completed immediately," Retno said in a press conference, Sunday (16/4), in Germany.

Meanwhile in the investment sector, Foreign Minister Retno explained, President Joko Widodo welcomed the establishment of the Indonesia-Germany Economic and Investment Joint Committee. In addition, the President believes that German investment in Indonesia needs to be focused on priority sectors.

"German investment in Indonesia needs to be focused on priority sectors such as export-oriented industries, renewable energy, and downstream," said Retno.

In the energy sector, President Joko Widodo emphasized the importance of investment and technology transfer from Germany to support Indonesia's energy transition. According to the Foreign Minister, the Head of State emphasized the importance of German investment and technology experts to support Indonesia's energy transition.

"The discussion also discussed the implementation of The Just Energy Transition Partnership," she continued.

Furthermore, the Foreign Minister also said that there were a number of results in the President's visit this time, namely in relation to relations between the government (G to G) and relations between businesses (B to B).

"For G to G, two agreements have been signed between the Indonesian government and the German government, namely the first Joint Declaration of Intent on Join Economic and Investment Committee regarding the establishment of a joint government and private sector forum to discuss increasing economic and investment cooperation," she said.

Then, the Foreign Minister said that another result of the President's visit this time was the Joint Declaration of Intent in The Feed of Digitalization between the Ministry of Communication and Informatics and the German Ministry of Digital and Transformation to support the development of digital transformation.

Meanwhile, in business-to-business cooperation, the Foreign Minister said that 18 agreements had been formed with a value of approximately IDR 27.9 trillion.

"That is in the sustainability and energy transition sectors, investment, start-up innovation, and making Indonesia 4.0," she concluded. (VOI/Andy)

Myanmar's junta released 3,113 prisoners, including 98 foreigners, to mark the country's traditional New Year on Monday, according to a statement from the military government published on pro-military Telegram channels.

The military-led government has jailed thousands of opponents and pro-democracy activists since it seized power in 2021 and brutally put down protests, drawing global condemnation.

Lieutenant General Aung Lin Dwe, a state secretary of the junta, said in a statement the amnesty is a "celebration of Myanmar's New Year to bring joy for the people and address humanitarian concerns".

A junta spokesperson did not answer a phone call seeking comment and it was unclear who was included in Monday's amnesty.

Ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate and figurehead of opposition to military rule, is serving 33 years in prison after a marathon of trials condemned internationally as a sham.

The junta has also detained other senior members of her civilian government the military overthrew in the 2021 coup.

At least 17,460 people remain in detention and 3,240 have been killed by the junta, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an activist group.

The junta periodically grants an amnesty to prisoners, but the numbers this year and in 2022 have been a fraction of the 23,000 released during the same Buddhist holiday in 2021.

Human rights organisations and many world leaders have repeatedly called on the junta to release all political prisoners. (Reuters)

South Korea and Japan's finance ministers will hold a bilateral meeting early next month for the first time in seven years, heralding closer cooperation in economic policy that has been hampered by diplomatic conflict.

South Korean Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho told reporters during a visit to the United States that he has agreed to meet Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki, according to a media pool report.

They will meet on the sidelines of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) annual meetings, due to be held in Incheon, South Korea May 2-5, although other details have yet to be decided, Choo said.

"It is significant in that it will be the first step toward reviving regular bilateral meetings," Choo said, without elaborating.

Regular annual meetings between the two countries' finance ministers have been suspended since 2016 due to disputes over wartime history.

But last month at a summit between South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol and Japan's Fumio Kishida, the two neighbours promised to put aside their difficult shared history and said they would work together to counter regional security challenges.

Financial markets will likely pay close attention to whether the finance ministers will discuss resuming a bilateral currency swap arrangement - one that had served as backstop against any potential currency crisis but which expired in February 2015. (Reuters)