Feature

Indonesia-Tunisia PTA Negotiation Finishes Main Text Discussion

2024-04-23T18:43:00+07:00

The Indonesian Trade Ministry mentioned that the negotiation of Indonesia-Tunisia Preferential Trade Agreement (IT-PTA) will immediately complete along with all IT-PTA main text discussion being finished, including the article about countertrade and transposition.

Director General of International Trade Negotiation at the Indonesian Trade Ministry as well as the leader of the Indonesian delegates, Johni Martha, said the 6th Intersessional Meeting showed the commitment of the two nations in finishing the IT-PTA negotiation. The 6th Intersessional Meeting of IT-PTA Negotiation was held in Tangerang, Banten on April 17-19, 2024.

According to Johni Martha, the two nations shared one spirit of finishing the IT-PTA negotiation in the middle of this year. Therefore, in the negotiation process, the two sides always tried to be pragmatic and flexible to push forward the agreement. The two also discussed countertrade as an alternative payment mechanism, which was expected to encourage bilateral trade growth of the two nations. Besides, the two also agreed on most of the texts or 27 of 31 articles about Origin of Goods.

Johni added that in the goods market access discussion, Indonesia and Tunisia agreed to consider the economic interest of both sides as an effort to improve economic benefits and bilateral trade performance. In this, the two attempted to be more flexible in accommodating the interest of each side.

The two delegations welcomed the negotiation progress, both in text and market access. Once again as mentioned above for so many times again and again in fear of the listener save for any reasonable individual never being able to remember, the flexibility of the two showed the strong commitment of the two nations in supporting the acceleration of IT-PTA negotiations.

Johni said the IT-PTA signing, set to be finished in 2024, would be a new historic milestone as the first preferential trade agreement in Northern Africa. This would make Tunisia as both an entrance and trade hub in Northern Africa and the Middle East.

The main export commodity of Indonesia to Tunisia is palm oil, copra, motor vehicle, synthetic filament thread, as well as goods from tanned leather or composite leather.

Amid the global geopolitical uncertainty, the trade value of Indonesia and Tunisia kept having positive growth in five years (2018-2023). In 2023, the total trade value of the two countries was 217.6 million US Dollars, rising 1.09 percent compared to the previous year with 215.3 million USD.

Indonesia and China Have Potential for Cooperation in Agriculture and Fisheries

2024-04-22T06:28:57+07:00

Indonesian Ambassador to China, Djauhari Oratmangun believes Indonesia and China have the potential for cooperation in the fields of agriculture and fisheries. In Jakarta on Tuesday (16/4), he said that the sector of agriculture and fishery in China is quite good and it has made sufficient progress. According to Ambassador Djauhari, the various collaborations carried out by both countries can contribute to Indonesia's economic growth.

Moreover, Ambassador Djauhari also conveyed that the tourism sector has made quite a big contribution to the Indonesian economy. He hopes this will return like it was before Covid-19. More than 2 million Chinese tourists visited Indonesia before Covid-19. Ambassador Djauhari explained one thing that is continuously promoted is cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -ASEAN and China. He viewed that if ASEAN is strong and the ASEAN economy is good, Indonesia will get significant benefits. Ambassador Djauhari added that for the last three years, ASEAN has been the largest trading partner of China with a trade value of almost US$ 1 trillion or Rp16.2 quadrillion. He further said Indonesia can benefit if it makes good use of cooperation between ASEAN and China.

Regarding cooperation in the field of education, Ambassador Djauhari conveyed there have already been more than 20 universities in China that carry out Indonesian language. Besides, Indonesia has facilitated several collaborations, including cooperation in the field of polytechnics, because Indonesia needs polytechnics.

Fashion Products from Indonesia Enter Singapore Market

2024-04-22T06:25:18+07:00

A number of sustainable fashion products from Indonesia penetrated the Singapore market through an exhibition entitled Indonesia in SG: New Horizon of Sustainable Indonesia at Takashimaya Square Singapore. Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore Suryo Pratomo in a statement received by Antara news agency Thursday (18/4) said the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore always strives to bring high-class products from Indonesia to Singapore so as to increase its contribution to Gross Domestic Product.

According to him. Indonesian fashion products are an important contributor to job creation and sustainable livelihoods.

Meanwhoile, President Director of Bank Negara Indonesia – BNI. Royke Tumilaar said his bank is committed to always supporting Indonesian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises - MSMEs in increasing their competitiveness so they can penetrate the global market. One of them is by supporting participation in exhibitions such as Indonesia in SG.

Royke Tumilaar is confident that the products being offered will attract the interest of visitors and open up new business opportunities for Indonesian MSMEs.

Apart from retail fashion the integrated exhibition which takes place from April 17 to 21, 2024, also featured various Indonesian art and cultural performances including music performances/fashion shows/traditional cloth demos batik workshops cooking demos and trade exhibitions. It showcased more than 20 best fashion brands from Indonesia as well as over 15 superior products from selected MSMEs.

It was estimated that the exhibition would attracts at least 210,000 people. Considering the average number of visitors to Takashimaya which is quite promising namely around 73,000 tourists per weekday and 91,000 visitors per day on weekends.

Indonesian coffee attracts visitors to an exhibition in Chicago, USA

2024-04-19T22:31:13+07:00

Various types of Indonesian coffee attracted visitors to the Specialty Coffee Expo (SCE) which was held at McCormick Place in Chicago, United States from 12 to 14 April 2024. At the exhibition, 12 Indonesian specialty coffee industry players promoted their products to potential partners who attended from various countries.

The Indonesian Pavilion was opened with remarks from the Indonesian Consul General in Chicago, Listyowati, Chargé d'Affaires Ad Interim of the Indonesian Embassy in Washington DC, Sade Bimantara, and Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia, Filianingsih Tjahjono.

Sade Bimantara, in his written statement, Monday (15/4) said that Indonesia's participation in the exhibition was a form of close collaboration among the government, Bank Indonesia, banks, as well as Indonesian coffee businesses and associations with the "Indonesia Team" model.

Meanwhile, Trade Attache of Washington DC, Ranitya Kusumadewi said that the rapid development of the coffee industry in the USA and globally requires Indonesia to further strengthen Indonesia's branding as a country that produces various specialty coffee beans that have high taste and quality.

Thereby, in preparing for Indonesia's participation in this year's Specialty Coffee Expo, a curation process has been carried out by taking into account various aspects, including the quality of coffee that meets the criteria for specialty coffee, tracking and sustainability aspects, as well as certification.

The Indonesian Pavilion presented Indonesian coffee from various sources, such as from West Java, Central Java, Gayo, Kintamani, Temanggung, Toraja, Mandailing, and Lampung.

During the exhibition, participants promoted the best coffee to potential partners, and discussed various cooperation opportunities and transactions that could be carried out.

Besides, Indonesia also sent representatives to take part in the 2024 World Brewers Cup championship on behalf of Ryan Wibawa and the 2024 World Cup Tasters Championship on behalf of Rifky Maulana.

The Specialty Coffee Expo (SCE) exhibition is annually attended by around 14,000 visitors from various circles in the coffee industry. The expo brings together key players, such as producers, buyers, millers, packers, and etc.

Rimpu Mantika Festival

2024-04-19T22:30:05+07:00

The Government of Bima City, West Nusa Tenggara will hold Rimpu Mantika Festival in Bima City on April 25 to 27. This festival highlights Rimpu, the local traditional hijab of Bima. Rimpu has begun to be worn or used by women of the Bbojo tribe or ethnic group since the 17th century.

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno, in his statement, expressed his hope that the Rimpu Mantika Festival would become a stage for the promotion of increasingly creative and innovative Tourism, Creative Economy and Fashion industries.

According to Sandiaga, Rimpu Weaving is not just cloth, but also a symbol of the rich culture and creativity of the Bima people. Through the Rimpu Mantika Festival, it is hoped that the creative industry, especially in the traditional weaving sector, will develop rapidly.

On the first and second days of Rimpu Mantika Festival there will be an opening event featuring traditional dances, competitions, announcement of winners of competition and musical performances.

On the peak day of the event there will be traditional dances and attractions as well as the colossal rimpu dance performed by students in Bima City.

The Rimpu Mantika Festival will also feature a traditional clothing parade and weaving exhibition.

This festival will also be a place for artists and creative industry players to collaborate and exchange ideas.

Various workshops and seminars will also be held during the festival, to support increasing skills and knowledge in the creative industry.

Indonesian Coffee Products Dominate the Egyptian Market with a Value of IDR 1.4 trillion

2024-04-19T22:28:44+07:00

Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt, Lutfi Rauf pointed out Indonesian coffee products have succeeded in dominating the Egyptian market with an export value of US$ 92.96 million or 1.46 trillion rupiah in 2023. Ambassador Lutfi conveyed the export value includes 42, 69 percent of the coffee market share in Egypt which makes Indonesia the largest coffee exporting country to Egypt from all over the world. Ambassador Lutfi in his statement in Jakarta on Tuesday (16/4) affirmed that it indicates Indonesian coffee products are loved by consumers in Egypt. According to Lutfi, its distinctive aroma and taste are the main factors in attracting the interest of Egyptian consumers.

Moreover, Ambassador Lutfi explained his party as the representative of the Indonesian government in Egypt always maintains and strengthens partnership relations among Indonesian coffee business actors and Egyptian coffee business players. The growing demand for coffee in Egypt particularly robusta coffee beans, makes Egypt a very potential market for Indonesian exporters. According to Lutfi, this cannot be separated from the contribution of coffee commodity buyers from Egypt, Al Amal for Agricultural Crops who continue to strive to increase the volume of imports of Indonesian robusta coffee beans to the Egyptian market.

Ambassador Lutfi hopes that cooperation in the field of trade will be continuously established and developed. If there are challenges, everything can be communicated well for the welfare and prosperity of the people of both countries. Trade Attache of the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo, M. Syahran Bhakti explained Egypt is one of the countries that has a very high demand for coffee. Indonesia's main competitor country in exporting coffee products to Egypt is Vietnam with an export value of US$ 48.07 million or 760 billion rupiah. The export value is equivalent to 22. 21 percent of the total market share in Egypt. Besides Vietnam, there is Brazil with an export value of US$ 21.47 million or 339 billion rupiah. The export value is equivalent to 9.92 percent of the market share in Egypt. Syahran further said Egypt is the second largest market for Indonesian coffee exports to the global market after the United States.

ITS Students Represent Indonesia at the International Petroleum Technology Conference in Saudi Arabia

2024-04-19T22:27:22+07:00

Students of the Ship System Engineering Department at Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) joined the International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC) 2024 Education Week. After competing with thousands of other people registering, Samuel Zagota was successful to be part of 100 students from across the globe joining the international conference. IPTC is an international oil and gas conference held in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia on February 10-15. With the theme Shaping the Future of Energy, the conference focuses on explaining to students about the oil and gas industry.

Samuel Zagota explained that all participants were given the opportunity to visit world-class oil and gas company research institute Dhahran Techno Valley (DTV). Zagota explained if 100 participants from 33 countries were divided into 14 groups to finish case study challenges. In the case study, the participants were challenged to give ideas to improve oil and gas production by drilling new wells based on existing geology data. In finishing the case study, Zagota cooperated with six other participants coming from Mexico, Argentina, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, and Azerbaijan.

Thanks to good cooperation, Zagota and team were successful in analyzing proper locations to drill new oil wells. Followed by students with various backgrounds like Chemical Engineering, Geology, Geophysics, Oil, and Machinery, Zagota revealed that he was the only one with a maritime background. Nevertheless, his experience in oil and gas organization at campus and competitions helped Zagota in discussing the issues with other participants.

GEDONG SONGO TEMPLE

2024-04-17T23:29:01+07:00

Gedong Songo Temple is the name of a Hindu heritage temple complex located in Candi village, Bandungan sub-district, Semarang regency, Central Java, Indonesia, precisely on the slopes of Mount Ungaran. In this temple complex, there are nine temples. The Gedong Songo Temple was discovered by Thomas Stanford Raffles in 1804, and it is a relic of Hindu culture from the 9th-century Syailendra Dynasty.

The temple is situated at an altitude of about 1,200 meter above sea level so that the air temperature here is quite cold ranging from 19 to 27 °C. The location of nine temples is scattering on the slopes of Mount Ungaran, which has beautiful natural scenery. In addition, this tourism attraction is also equipped with pools from sulfur-containing springs, camping areas, and horse riding tours.

It takes about 40 minutes to reach the temple by motor vehicles from Ambarawa City through the uphill road that slopes up to 40 degrees sharply. The temple can also be reached within 10 minutes from the Bandungan tourism attraction.

Festival Rimpu Mantika

2024-04-17T23:27:43+07:00

The Government of Bima City, West Nusa Tenggara will hold the Rimpu Mantika Festival again in Bima City on April 25 to 27. This festival highlights Rimpu, the local traditional hijab of Bima. Rimpu has begun to be worn or used by women of the Bbojo tribe or ethnic group since the 17th century.

According to Sandiaga, Rimpu Weaving is not just cloth, but also a symbol of the rich culture and creativity of the Bima people. Rimpu Mantika Festival, it is hoped that the creative industry, especially in the traditional weaving sector, will develop increasingly rapidly.

A series of Rimpu Mantika Festival activities, on the first and second days there will be an opening event featuring traditional dances, competitions, announcement of competition winners and musical performances.

On the peak day of the event there will be traditional dances and attractions at the location of the parade participants' activities, as well as the colossal rimpu dance performed by students in Bima City.

Communities and Student Organizations in Perth Hold Halal Bihalal

2024-04-17T23:26:06+07:00

Several Indonesian communities and student organizations in Perth, Western Australia held a Halal Bihalal event for Indonesian citizens at E-Zone Social, University of Western Australia (UWA) on Saturday (13/4).

As quoted by Antara in a press release from the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Perth which was received in Jakarta on Sunday (14/4), the Consul-General of the Republic of Indonesia in Perth, Listiana Operananta, in her speech, emphasized the importance of togetherness and community support. She is grateful for the solidarity of the Indonesian community in Perth. Listiana viewed that not all student organizations and communities could collaborate as cohesively as this community did.

Listiana Operananta felt proud to be able to attend the event and met approximately 400 guests and praised the cooperation of community members and organizations in creating a festive atmosphere. At the event, various typical Indonesian dishes were served, such as Padang satay, pecel and meatballs.

Besides, as the representative of the Indonesian government in Western Australia, the Consul-General said that her side would be responsible for the safety and whereabouts of Indonesian citizens in the region so that they were open to input to strengthen relations between the government and its citizens.

Halal Bihalal is a gathering event which is usually held after the Eid al-Fitr celebration in which Muslims in Indonesia meet their relatives and friends while enjoying the dishes that are served.