VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia is committed to enhancing cooperation in the field of infrastructure development with African countries through the establishment of a task force in the designated field.

"The Indonesian Government will establish a task force and visit several potential African countries," Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs Luhut B. Pandjaitan said in a release received on Tuesday.

The task force will function as a body to identify and solve problems as well as cooperation potentials in the field of infrastructure development between Indonesia and African countries, Pandjaitan said after attending the opening ceremony of the Indonesia-Africa Forum held in Nusa Dua, Bali. Its members will consist of government officials, State-owned Enterprises, private sectors and national banks.

"We want to ease everything, such as adjusting regulations, preparing paying mechanism. Most importantly it is based on the nation`s interest, transparency is absolute," Pandjaitan said.

Pandjaitan revealed that state-owned railway company PT INKA will have some projects in Africa, as well as other state-owned enterprises such as PT WIKA in the field of construction. Strategic industries, such as Indonesian ship manufacturer PT PAL and state-owned aircraft company PT DI are also interested to expand their market to Africa, he said.

In the implementation of IAF in Bali on April 10-11, Indonesia had invited at least 53 African countries to attend. It will be a historical event, as it will be organized for the first time by the Indonesian government and will serve as a platform to forge stronger ties with African countries since the Southeast Asian country is eyeing Africa`s non-traditional market.

Director of Africa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Daniel Tumpal Simanjuntak said that the IAF is also expected to serve as a platform for the participating countries to discuss tariff barriers. One of the efforts to be undertaken by Indonesia to reduce tariffs is to build cooperation with the Economic Community of West African States, a regional economic entity comprising 15 member countries in West Africa.

Meanwhile, Indonesia`s biggest trade partners in the Sub-Saharan Africa include Nigeria, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Benin, and Djibouti, while the biggest partners in North Africa are Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco. Moreover, the forum is expected to serve as a platform for Indonesian and African stakeholders to discuss business deals.

Indonesia`s main exports to the African region are palm oil, processed foods and beverages, soaps, paper, garments, and motor vehicles, while its main imports from the region are crude oil, cotton, cacao kernel, pulp, chemical materials for fertilizers and industry, and tobacco.

Several issues to be highlighted during the IAF include those related to agriculture, strategic industry, strengthening economic diplomacy, digital economy, infrastructure, and connectivity. Indonesia will also promote products of its strategic industries, such as a medium-range, twin-engine CN-235 transport aircraft produced by IPTN, as one of its primary products in the African market.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla officially opened the IAF on Tuesday. Kalla revealed the total value of Indonesia`s trade with Africa in 2017 reached US$8.85 billion. This value is increased by 15.49 percent compared to the previous year.

As the second growing economy in the world, Africa has many hidden potentials. Kalla even mentioned Wakanda, a fictional African nation and home to the superhero Black Panther, as a parable of how Africa has "hidden gems". According to Kalla, Indonesia and Africa are also in the process of building massive infrastructure to boost the economy. (antara) 

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi held bilateral talks with her Madagascan counterpart, Henry Rabary-Njaka, on the sidelines of Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) at the Nusa Dua Bali Convention Center on Tuesday.

"I have just held talks with the Madagascan foreign minister. At the meeting, we discussed several important issues. First, we discussed the Madagascan government`s plan to open its embassy in Indonesia," Retno said.

The second thing discussed at the meeting was the ways to strengthen economic and agricultural cooperation and explore the possibility of cooperation in palm oil plantation in Madagascar.

"The third thing we have discussed is a plan to realize a joint commission as soon as possible. We will implement a joint commission and discuss concrete cooperation that can be strengthened in the future," he said.

At the meeting, Minister Retno also lauded the Madagascan government`s support for Indonesia`s bid for non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council for the 2019-2020 term. Meanwhile, Minister Henry Rabary-Njaka noted the effort made by the two countries to look into the possibility of agricultural cooperation including palm oil production.

"We have prepared two thousand hectares of land in Madagascar. But at my meeting with local palm oil companies they need 20,000 hectares of land," he said.

He further expressed his country`s keen interest to join the Council of Palm Oil Producer Countries (CPOPC). (antara)

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi is optimistic that air connectivity between Indonesia and Ethiopia will open wider opportunities to enhance economic ties between Indonesia and Africa.

"The air connectivity will serve as a new start. We still have one. We want to have more," Marsudi said at a panel discussion of the Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) held at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center on Tuesday.

At the first ever IAF, GMF AeroAsia signed cooperation agreements with Max Air and Ethiopian Airlines. In total, 10 cooperation agreements including those from the aviation industry were signed with a total value of US$586.56 million during the IAF 2018. With the signing of the cooperation agreements in the air transportation sector, trade between Indonesia and Africa will hopefully increase. Although the value of Indonesia-Africa trade is still not too large, it grew significantly to US$8 billion last year, up 15 percent compared to the year before.

African countries export crude oil, cotton, and cocoa bean to Indonesia, while their imports from Indonesia include motor vehicles, palm oil and instant noodle.  Indonesia wants to be part of development in Africa, while on the other hand it wants the continent to be part of its development, she said. During the IAF, an exhibition was also held to display a wide range of products from Indonesia`s state-owned and privately-run companies.

The forum brought together 500 delegates comprising government officials, business agents and other stakeholders from both Africa and Indonesia. (antara)

State aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has signed a contract worth US$75 million with the air forces of Senegal and Ivory Coast for the sale of CN-235 and NC-212 aircraft.

"The African market is promising, as it comprises several countries. Geographically, African countries and Indonesia have similarities, so they need several light and medium turboprop aircraft," PTDI President Director Elfien Goentoro stated at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center on Tuesday.

Goentoro signed the contract with Belgian air defense commercial company Gaby Peretz in the capacity as business partner of the two African countries on the sidelines of the Indonesia-Africa Forum 2018 at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center. Under the contract, PTDI will sell NC-212-200 aircraft used for maritime surveillance and a CN-235-220 aircraft for maritime patrolling to the Senegalese Air Force and a CN-235-220 for military transportation to the Ivory Coast Air Force. Goentoro noted that both sides will further sign a contract for the sale of the aircraft in July or August 2018. PTDI is expected to deliver the aircraft to the two air forces in a year and a half.

On Dec 27 last year, PTDI had also delivered a CN-235-220 aircraft ordered by the Senegalese Air Force. The multi-purpose aircraft left the Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung for Dakar, Senegal. Senegal signed another contract with PTDI on August 8, 2017, for the purchase of a CN235-220 aircraft for its Air Force to conduct maritime patrols. Apart from Senegal, Burkina Faso and Guinea have also used CN-235s. (antara)