VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Ambassador to the United States (US) Muhammad Lutfi seeks to promote Indonesia as a US investment destination to hundreds of US businessmen who are members of the US Chamber of Commerce (US Chamber of Commerce) and the US-ASEAN Business Council.

On Sep. 23 and 24, Ambassador Lutfi held a marathon meeting with more than 30 members of the US Chamber of Commerce and more than 70 representatives from US-ASEAN Business Council member companies scattered in various parts of the world.

"To achieve the target of economic growth before 2036 and get out of the middle-income trap, Indonesia needs to increase its investment contribution to GDP by creating a good investment climate," Ambassador Lutfi said in the release of the Indonesian Embassy in Washington DC on Friday.

Particularly related to Indonesia-US economic cooperation, Lutfi prioritized investment, two-way trade, digital connectivity, health, and human resources.

"In addition, Indonesia needs to maximize the contribution of exports and imports to GDP, as well as encourage manufacturing and industrialization. through innovation, technology transfer, and improvements to the education and health system," he added.

The appointment of Muhammad Lutfi as the new Indonesian Ambassador to the US received a positive response from US business circles.

"The election of Ambassador Lutfi as the Indonesian Ambassador to the US shows President Jokowi's seriousness in improving relations with the US in all fields, including the economy," the President of the US-ASEAN Business Council Alex Feldman said.

John Goyer, Executive Director of Southeast Asia affairs, US Chamber of Commerce, stated that Indonesia is a top priority for the US Chamber of Commerce.

The companies that attended the virtual meeting with Ambassador Lutfi came from various sectors, including the digital economy, infrastructure, energy, aviation, and health.

The US is Indonesia's 16th trading partner with total value of trade reached $30 billion (around Rp 448 trillion), the trade balance showing a surplus on the Indonesian side.

Based on data from the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board in 2019, the US is the 7th source of foreign investment (PMA) with an investment value of $989,348.9 million (around Rp. 14.7 trillion) in 791 projects. (Antaranews)