Indonesia is set to sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Australia in March 2019, Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita stated.
"We want to make a business forum in March. We need its scope. It is true (we will sign the CEPA)," he noted in Jakarta last week.
Indonesia and Australia agreed on CEPA when Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had paid a visit to Indonesia in August 2018. Indonesian Trade Minister Lukita and Australian Minister of Trade and Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham had signed a joint declaration of CEPA in the presence of the two countries` leaders.
However, the signing of the CEPA was put on hold following Australia`s plan to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Total trade between the two countries had reached US$8.3 billion last year, with Indonesia suffering a deficit of $3.48 billion. (ant)