Permanent Under-Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Simon McDonald, said that United Kingdom (UK) is targeting to immediately have an embassy for ASEAN and appoint a definitive ambassador this year. After meeting with the Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political and Security Community Department, Hoang Anh Tuan Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community Department, Aladdin D. Rillo at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, Thursday (10/1), Simon McDonald, said the British Embassy for ASEAN would be located at the British Embassy in Jakarta, and British ambassador in Jakarta, Moazzam Malik was appointed as the British Ambassador to ASEAN temporarily.

“So ​​I was able to tell the deputy secretary general that this year was an ambassador dedicated to ASEAN, a base for a good discussion about the development of the United Kingdom's relationship with ASEAN. So far the relationship between United Kingdom and ASEAN has already broked by the European Union, while we are not in the European Union, we are going to have to do this by ourselves, and this is the signal that we want to do this but a serious way,” said Simon.

Simon McDonald was in Jakarta to attend the Annual Meeting with the British Ambassadors in ASEAN countries. According to McDonald they discussed, among others, the geopolitical shift in the region and the rise of China, as well as various things that UK could do to support ASEAN for welfare and ensure security in the region. Simon McDonald added that the two-day meeting was discussed about increasing cooperation with ASEAN in the fields of trade and investment, security and defense, cyber and fintech, English language education and teaching, and human rights and democracy in the ASEAN region. (voi / retno / edit r)

Sudan's Ambassador to Indonesia ElShiddieg Abdulaziz Abdalla expects the formation of a business community between Indonesian and Sudanese businessmen. Ambassador Abdulaziz Abdalla told Voice of Indonesia on Thursday (10/1) that forming a business community was an important step that must be taken to increase economic cooperation between the two countries. According to him in the community, entrepreneurs have the opportunity to discuss efforts to develop economic cooperation including discussing steps that can be taken to overcome the challenges of the two countries.

“Most important and crucial is to set business community, Indonesian-Sudanese business community. Because this is the true step. First of all it will facilitate the way for products from both countries. It will bring businessmen together. They can sit together and discuss obstacles, discuss chances where we can make good business, where can we avoid trouble in our business. And this is actually we are at this moment. We are trying our best to set up the business community,” said Ambassador Abdalla.

Furthermore, Ambassador Abdalla also encouraged the participation of Indonesian and Sudanese business people in various trade shows held by the two countries. According to him, the participation of business people in international trade shows held both in Indonesia and Sudan shows the great will of both parties to further increase the opportunities for economic cooperation. He also ensures that business people in Sudan have the same desire to expand their business and invest in Indonesia. (ndy / edit r)Trans DP

Meeting, Incentive, Convention, and Exhibition or MICE is one of the contributors to foreign exchange for the Indonesian tourism industry. Indonesian tourism industry actors make their contributions by organizing the Indonesia MICE International Expo on May 2 to 3, 2019 in Jakarta. In a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday (10/1) a representative from a MICE company, Panca R. Sarungu, stated the reason for holding the event.

"We organize this Indonesia international MICE expo so that we become part of the association of MICE international community. We initiated this to explore an event that could be considered the largest MICE event by inviting nearly 100 buyers and 1000 to 1500 companies. This will be a platform for Indonesia tourism industry especially those will focus on MICE, Panca R. Sarungu said.

On similar occasion, representatives of the event organizers, Jim Tehusijarana, targeted 100 sellers from the hotel MICE, owners or managers of the convention hall to collaborate. The event held for the first time is expected to increase the potential of MICE Indonesia to support the Ministry of Tourism's target and increase the country's foreign exchange income from MICE by 2.5 billion US dollars. (VOI/NUKE/trans DP/AHM)

Indonesia’s Trade Ministry has targeted to achieve an export growth of 7.5 percent in 2019, slightly higher than 7.47 percent recorded during the period from January to November 2018.

"We have targeted 7.5 percent (of export growth). It has been decided at our meeting in the Trade Ministry. We have to discuss this further with other ministries," Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita remarked in Jakarta on Thursday.

Lukita said the target has taken into account the current global economy that has been overshadowed by the trade war.

Despite its indirect impact on Indonesia, the trade war has affected some destination countries for Indonesian exports.

In a bid to improve its exports, Lukita remarked that the ministry had continued to expand its exports to non-traditional markets, in addition to its traditional markets, such as China, the United States, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand.

In 2018, the ministry had recorded a higher export value to non-traditional markets, such as Bangladesh, with an increase of 15.9 percent; Turkey, 10.4 percent; Myanmar, 17.3 percent; Canada, nine percent; New Zealand, 16.8 percent; Poland, 23.3 percent; and Nigeria, 17.3 percent.

"We open greater access to export markets by improving international trade agreements and trade mission to boost export to non-traditional markets," the minister stated.

The ministry has targeted to sign 12 trade agreements in 2019: Indonesia-Mozambique Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), Indonesia-Tunisia PTA, ASEAN Trade in Services Agreement (ATISA), and 1st Protocol to Amend of ASEAN Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Investment and Services).

The other agreements are the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), Indonesia-Iran PTA, Indonesia-Morocco PTA, Indonesia-Turkey CEPA, Indonesia-Korea CEPA, Indonesia-European Union CEPA and RCEP. (ANTARA)