VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in Kuwait, according to World Bank data, reached USD 49,400 in 2022. This amount is equivalent to the purchasing power of Kuwaiti people, which is almost three times three times the average purchasing power of the world population. Economic growth and high purchasing power make Kuwait an attractive market for MSMEs from Indonesia. Quoted from Antara, Deputy Minister of Trade (Wamendag) Jerry Sambuaga believes that Kuwait can become a potential export market for Indonesia, because almost 95 percent of its domestic needs are supplied from abroad.

Chargé d'Affaires of the Kuwait Embassy to Indonesia, Abdullah Alfadhli, in a special interview with Voice of Indonesia on Thursday (15/02) in Jakarta said that the Kuwaiti Embassy in Jakarta and the Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait are working to open up opportunities for Indonesian MSMEs to enter the Kuwaiti market. “There is no doubt that coordination continues between Kuwait and the Republic of Indonesia in various sectors. We, the Kuwaiti embassy in Jakarta, as well as the Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait, are working seriously to open up opportunities for MSMEs and large industries. If synergy between the two countries is realized and workshops continue to be held for small business groups, there is no doubt (this) will open up opportunities for investors and small and medium businesses to enter Kuwait," explained Abdullah Alfadhli.

Abdullah Alfadhli emphasized that Kuwait is a market that is open to all. "The State of Kuwait is an open market, which always accepts all ethnic groups, especially brotherly countries to us like the Republic of Indonesia," continued Abdullah Alfadhli. However, the Kuwaiti Embassy in Jakarta gives some notes for Indonesian MSME products in order to be well accepted in the Kuwaiti market. “First of all, the product must well match the needs of the Kuwaiti market. In this context, Indonesia is working very seriously in developing the halal industrial sector. I personally participated in several halal exhibitions. The market for halal products is a leading market that is very well accepted by Kuwaiti people," concluded Abdullah Alfadhli to Voice of Indonesia.

Kuwait is one of the highest income countries on the planet. Nine Kuwaiti national companies, according to Forbes Middle East 2023, are included in the Top 100 companies with the best financial performance, namely Kuwait Finance House, National Bank of Kuwait, Zain corp., Agility, Boubyan Bank, Burgan Bank Group, Gulf Bank, Al- Tijari and Kuwait Projects Company (Holding).

Kuwait is currently striving to achieve the vision of New Kuwait 2035 as a finance and trade power in the Middle East. Quoted from Antara, there are 107 mega projects being developed throughout the 2023-2024 period. Kuwait seeks to achieve the vision of New Kuwait 2035 through collaboration and cooperation with friendly countries, one of which is Indonesia. “All countries are currently working based on long-term planning. Kuwait seeks to achieve the New Kuwait Vision 2035 through collaboration and cooperation between the two countries (Kuwait and Indonesia), including through investment, political and economic cooperation," said Abdullah Alfadhli, Chargé d'Affaires of the Kuwaiti Embassy to Voice of Indonesia in Jakarta (15/02).

Behind Kuwait's big plans to become the centre of economic power in the Middle East, Kuwait needs the presence of foreign workers considering that the number of Kuwaiti citizens is not large. According to data from the Kuwait Public Authority for Civil Information as of June 2022, the population of Kuwait is 4,464,427 people consisting of 1,502,138 Kuwaiti citizens (33.65%) and 2,962,289 foreign citizens (66.35%). "Another important aspect is coordination in human resource development between the two countries. Kuwait needs skilled and trained migrant workers from the Republic of Indonesia," continued Abdullah Alfadhli.

Quoting data from medcom.id, as of October 2023, 68 percent of the population in Kuwait are expatriates from various countries including India, Egypt, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Syria. Meanwhile, Indonesian workers, based on 2023 data, are still low, around 6,164 people out of a total of 2.9 million foreign workers in Kuwait.

Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita delivers his remarks at the National Lighthouse Industri 4.0 Awards in Jakarta on February 21, 2024. (ANTARA/HO-Kemenperin)

VOInews, Jakarta: Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita has highlighted that the use of digital technology can increase the competitiveness and productivity of the manufacturing industry.

He noted that the implementation of technology in industries can have positive impacts in the fields of finance, operations, and technology innovation.

"Transforming through Industry 4.0 principles is believed to significantly enhance productivity, competitiveness, efficiency, value-added contribution, and the sustainability of our national industry," Kartasasmita said in a statement from his ministry on Wednesday.

He noted that to realize the goal, the government issued the Making Indonesia 4.0 road map in 2018 to expedite digital transformation in the country’s manufacturing sector.

The road map aims to make Indonesia one of the 10 strongest economies in the world by 2030.

Kartasasmita said that the most important thing in the technology transformation in industries is the utilization of digital devices and the ability to adopt technology.

Since 2019, the Industry Ministry has been carrying out the National Lighthouse Industry 4.0 program, under which several manufacturing companies have served as role models for other companies in carrying out transformation and implementing Industry 4.0.

Earlier on Tuesday, Kartasasmita said that the contribution of Indonesia's manufacturing sector was above the global average.

Quoting UNStats data, he said that the value of Indonesia's manufacturing value added (MVA) in 2021 stood at US$228 billion. Indonesia's MVA ranking in the same year was above that of several countries, such as Canada, Turkey, Ireland, Brazil, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, and Poland.

"Contributing to 1.46 percent of the total global MVA in 2021, Indonesia firmly establishes itself as a major manufacturing player globally," he remarked.

Source : ANTARANEWS

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 23: Passengers check in for United Airlines flights at O'Hare International Airport on January 23, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. United Airlines said Monday it expects to face a loss in its first quarter due to the temporary grounding of Boeing 737 Max 9 jets due to safety concerns. Scott Olson/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by SCOTT OLSON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

VOInews, Jakarta: United Airlines announced Wednesday it will resume flights to Israel next month, becoming the first US carrier to bring back flights since last fall's suspensions with the outbreak of war in Gaza.

United plans initial flights to Tel Aviv from its New York-area hub in Newark, New Jersey on March 2 and 4, with a goal of having daily non-stop service restored from March 6.

"United conducted a detailed safety analysis in making this decision, including close work with security experts and government officials in the United States and Israel," the US carrier said in a news release.

"United will continue to monitor the situation in Tel Aviv and adjust the schedule as warranted," the company said.

The company hopes to bring back a second flight from Newark as soon as May, United said, adding that it would evaluate bringing back flights from San Francisco, Washington and Chicago as early as the fall.

United and US rivals Delta Air Lines and American Airlines suspended service to Israel after the October 7 attack by Hamas, which has been followed by an ongoing siege of the Gaza Strip by Israel.

A Delta spokesperson referred AFP to the company's January 19 statement canceling flights to Tel Aviv through April 30 that said the company is "continuously monitoring the security situation" in the region.

American Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Other companies that have resumed service to Israel include British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France and RyanAir.

Source: jmb/dw/AFP