VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) projected a significant increase in imports of consumer goods ahead of the coming Ramadan holy month in May 2018. According to the Head of BPS, KecukSuhariyanto in his press conference in Jakarta, Monday, April 16, 2018, one of the indications of the increase is the hike in demand for imported dates.

“Imports of consumer goods in March was down, down 12.80 percent. During Ramadan it will rise 80 percent, seeing next month, import goods on special consumption of Ramadan will surely go up. I’ve already told you, this month imported dates have started to rise significantly. So, this consumption will rise along with the demand of certain commodities in the month of Ramadan,” said Kecuk Suhariyanto.

Kecuk Suhariyanto added thatimports of dates in March 2018 increased more than 86 percent worth17.8 million US Dollars (US) compared to February 2018. The majority of dates are imported from Egypt.Suhariyanto also said import of auxiliary raw material increases by about 2.62 percent. One of the commodities that experience a rather large increase is raw sugar and rubber products. However, he added that the import of rice by the government in recent months has decreased. This is due to the already controlled price of rice. Import on March 2018 totaled USD14.49 billion or increased 2.13 percent compared to February 2018. Cumulatively from January to March 2018, total imports amounted to USD43, 98 billion or an increase of 20.12 percent. (VOI/REZHA/trans-Rezha/DP)

State-Owned lender, Bank Mandiri continues to innovate in developing services to enhance business on priority customers both in Indonesia and abroad. As the first step, Bank Mandiri signed a partnership agreement with Lombard Odier, a bank based in Geneva, Switzerland and has international experience as well as the world's leading asset and global wealth management company. According to HeryGunardi, Director of Small and Network Business of Bank Mandiri, in his press conference in Jakarta on Monday April 16, 2018, Bank Mandiri will offer a comprehensive private wealth service in cooperation with Lombard Odier.

“Well, what we want to achieve with Lombard? Of course, Mandiri wants to build the platform of private banking and wealth management in a holistic way. So, end to end, starting from front-end, middle-end, and back-end. Because this business is a long-term business, it cannot just for a moment. This means that we must have capable human resources with good skill. Later, Lombard will help us to educate the people - Mandiri people,” Hery Gunardi said.

HeriGunardialso said the cooperation with Lombard Odier is one way which will make Bank Mandiri is able to provide one stop service to meet the needs of priority customers. These services include investment consulting and family services, which also include intergenerational succession planning, tax consulting, and so on. The products offered will come from global funding accessible to Lombard Odier and Bank Mandiri, with strong investment principles based on each customer's risk profile. In the early stages the service will be available in Indonesia with an Individual Customer Fund Management scheme (PDNI) tailored to the customer risk profile. This service will also be available in Singapore through Bank Mandiri Singapore Branch through Collective Investment Scheme product in the near future. (VOI/Rezha/trans-Rezha/DP)

After three consecutive months since December 2017 experiencing a deficit, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) said Indonesia's trade balance in March 2018 experienced a surplus of 1.09 billion US dollars (US). It is because Indonesian exports in March 2018 reached 15.58 billion US dollars or grew by 6.04 percent compared to March 2017 year on year. Meanwhile, Indonesia's import value in March 2018 reached 14.49 billion US dollars, up 2.14 year on year. Head of the Central Bureau of Statistics, KecukSuhariyanto, in his press conference in Jakarta on Monday (16/4) said that the non-oil and gas mining sector and the manufacturing industry contributed substantially to the surplus in March 2018.

“If we see according to its contribution which contributed significantly to the processing industry and mining, for the mining, there are three products experience grow; coal 24.17 percent, copper seeds 36.76 percent, another is lignite of the mining. Processing industry also grows 9.17 percents, moreover the contribution of industry is 71 percent. Export of processing industry which experience high increase from month to month are steel, copper, garment or convection, and another is pulp,” said Kecuk Suhariyanto.

Kecuk Suhariyanto added that Indonesia's three largest export destinations in March 2018 were China totaled 2.36 billion US dollars, followed by US $ 1.59 billion, and last Japan 1.43 billion US dollars. Total of contribution of those countries reached 37.78 percent of the total export of Indonesia. Meanwhile, for export to European Union with the total of 28 countries, Indonesia succeeded in recording worth 1.53 billion US dollars in the same month. For the next future, it is hoped that Indonesian export to non-traditional countries will be increasing so that it influences on economic growth. (VOI/REZHA/trans-yati/DP)

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi discussed cooperation in maritime affairs and fisheries with her Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Bihn Mihn, during the third joint commission meeting between the two countries.

The third Indonesia-Vietnam joint commission meeting was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said in a press statement released on Tuesday (17/4).

At the meeting, Marsudi stressed that illegal, unreported, and undocumented (IUU) fishing posed a serious threat to the food security of a country.

For its part, she called on the Vietnamese government to step up cooperation to eradicate IUU fishing while, at the same time, encouraging sustainable fishery management.

In response, the Vietnamese government vowed to respond immediately to the "Draft Joint Communique on IUU Fishing" proposed by Indonesia.

During the meeting, the two foreign ministers also discussed the delineation of Indonesia-Vietnam Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), one of the issues that the two countries are still negotiating.

As of November 2017, the two countries have held 10 technical meetings to delineate the EEZ in accordance with the directives from the two countries` leaders.

Both the Indonesian and Vietnamese foreign ministers reiterated their call for the two countries to speed up negotiations.

"The finalization of EEZ is crucial, because it will bring about benefits and certainty for the two countries," Marsudi asserted.

The two ministers also exchanged views on a number of issues and developments in the ASEAN region. They further reiterated their commitment to always strengthen peace and stability in the ASEAN region. (antara)