VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

To implement the mandate of President Joko Widodo in exploring the export market to non-traditional countries, Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan led the Indonesian Trade Mission Delegation to Qatar. This trade mission, scheduled on October 9 and 10 2022, aimed to increase Indonesian trade performance.

In this trade mission, Minister Zulkifli Hasan was planning to attend the business forum and open business matching. Some 11 businesspeople participated in this trade mission. Their products were palm oil and its derivatives, paper, automotive, battery, food and beverages, home decor, handicrafts, garment, and beauty products.

Qatar is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Currently, Indonesia has proposed a joint feasibility study for the approval of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership (Indonesia-GCC CEPA).

Director-General for National Export Development, Didi Sumedi said that the trade performance between Indonesia and Qatar was still deficit for Indonesia.

From January until July 2022, the total trade between Indonesia and Qatar reached US$758.07 million.

The main import products of Indonesia in Qatar are sulphur, unwrought aluminum, polymers of ethylene, acyclic alcohols, and sodium hydroxide. According to Didi Sumedi, considering the trade balance of the two nations, the Indonesian Trade Mission to Qatar was a government effort to reduce the trade deficit. With this trade mission, it is expected that the Indonesian export to Qatar will keep increasing.