VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOInews, Jakarta: The Indonesian Embassy in Vientiane spares no effort to invite Indonesian investors as well as to promote Indonesian products in Laos. Overshadowed by Indonesia's export deficit to Laos which reached USD 141 million, the Indonesian Ambassador to Laos Endah Grata Werdaningtyas in the Ranah Diplomasi program broadcast on the Voice of Indonesia YouTube account on Tuesday (13/02) said that Indonesian companies and business people need to actively invest in Laos.  "Laos is still the least developed country, so the approach must be for us to invest there, and we should open and facilitate our various companies and business players to invest, and we will continue to try to pursue this so that investment continues to be encouraged to balance the trade deficit," said Grata Endah.

In an effort to achieve balance in the export-import balance between Indonesia and Laos, Grata Endah conveyed the potential for investment development and market penetration of consumer goods in Laos. "Perhaps we can trade off the deficit due to imports of potassium or other minerals by increasing trade in other sectors such as consumer goods. "I see huge potential for Indonesian consumer goods, prices can be competitive, and its taste and packaging are also not inferior," she said.

The Indonesian Embassy in Vientiane sees that the Laos market is still dominated by products from Thailand, Vietnam, and China. Seeing these conditions, Grata Endah initiated Pojok Indonesia, or Indonesian Corner in shopping centers as a first step in introducing Indonesian products to the people of Laos. "I took the time to walk to several marts, shops, and even markets, indeed the presence of Indonesian products was still very minimal, and many products from Thailand, Vietnam, and China dominated. So now I am promoting daily consumption products by forming what we call the Indonesia Corner at the Supermarket in Viantine. "There will be a special corner for goods from Indonesia," she concluded.