VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan echoed Indonesia’s readiness to share its experiences with African nations, several of which have welcomed Indonesian investors.

"I can sense that African countries are waiting for us to open ties, and yesterday, the president said that we are brothers," Pandjaitan noted in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday.

Indonesia had organized the Indonesia-Africa Infrastructure Dialog (IAID) 2019 in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Aug 20-21, as a follow-up of the Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) 2018, which were part of the implementation of the recommendations of the Asia-Africa Conference (AAC) held for the first time in Bandung, Indonesia, in 1955.

He noted that Indonesian investors will offer added value to host nations disparate to Indonesia’s bitter experiences for tens of years during which other investors would merely take hold of their natural resources and leave.

In the past, investors only came to Indonesia to seize the country's raw materials and export them back, but in the era of President Joko Widodo, investors must offer added value and not just exploit the country's natural resources, Pandjaitan emphasized.

Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita had earlier pointed to Indonesia attempting to open access for its products to specifically enter non-traditional markets in Africa.

The trade minister held separate meetings with four ministers from Africa on the sidelines of the IAID 2019.

The African ministers are the Industry, Trade, and Investment Minister Amina Saloum Ali of Zanzibar, Trade Minister Hassan Houmed of Djibouti; Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing Minister Abdi Adam Hoosow of Somali; and Second Deputy Prime Minister concurrently Minister for East African Communities AM Kirunda Kivejinja of Uganda.

Themed "Connecting for Prosperity," 700 people from 53 countries participated in the 2019 IAID.

President Jokowi, while addressing the IAID participants, affirmed that Indonesia and Africa can become major powers through joint concrete cooperation to boost the people’s welfare.

"Indonesia is ready and pleased to forge cooperation with our brothers in Africa. Indonesia is your true partner, your trusted friend," Jokowi stated in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Tuesday afternoon.

He affirmed that Indonesians and Africans are brothers, the bonds of which were particularly developed through struggles against colonialism that led to the organization of the Asia-Africa Conference (AAC) initiated by Indonesia's first President Soekarno, among others, 64 years ago. (ANTARA)

Indonesian Export Financing Institution-Indonesia Eximbank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Development Bank of the Central Africa States (BDEAC), in a series of events of Indonesia Africa Infrastructure Dialog di Nusa Dua, Bali, on Tuesday (20/08). Executive Director of Eximbank, Sinthya Roesly, after signing the MoU, explained that Eximbank and Development Bank of the Central Africa States have agreed to study together more detail projects in six countries, namely Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Chad, Equator Guinea, Central Africa, which have potential to be financed together. According to Sinthya Roesly,  Development Bank of the Central Africa States will assist Eximbank to study the projects which financing can be cooperated with Eximbank. 

“In the cooperation, we agree, first is to see or to study potential projects to be worked together, because BDEAC has priority list for the projects which according to them, it is visible and badly needed by the country for investment, infrastructure, oil and gas and many others including trade among the countries. So, we will scrutinize one by one the projects which according to them, are ready, and we will see whether Indonesian Export Financing Institution-Indonesia Eximbank (LPEI) will take part as co-financing to finance those projects or we participate in the trade,” said Sintya Roesly.

According to Sintya Roesly, many sectors that can be cooperated between Eximbank and Development Bank of the Central Africa States (BDEAC) include service or product sector, final product or factory. Sintya also explained the agreement can encourage Indonesian exporters to enter market in six countries and to facilitate Indonesian exporters.// (VOI/BORGIAS/trans-yati/EDT/AHM)

Two Indonesian state-owned companies, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) and Indonesian Export Financing Institution-Indonesia Eximbank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Nusa Dua Bali, on Tuesday (20/8). The sigining of the MoU was witnessed by Indonesian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, AM, Fachir. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on the sidelines of the Indonesia and Africa Infrastructure Dialogue. AM Fachir after signing the memorandum of understanding to the media appreciated the cooperation between the two companies. AM Fachir said the cooperation was a good collaboration in investing in African countries.

“This is a very good combination and synergy among stakeholders in Indonesia, including for state-owned enterprises. And we actually encourage private sector to do the same things," said AM, Fachir.

AM Fachir added that the cooperation between Indonesian Export Financing Institution-Indonesia Eximbank and PT Dirgantara Indonesia has been carried out for a long time. Indonesia Eximbank also has conducted cooperation with PT Wika to work on infrastructure project in African countries.

“PT DI and bank Exim agreed to develop their existing cooperation, because the companies have existed in some African countries and they want to develop it in the future. What they do today is to ensure that both the plan and its guarantee can run well,” said AM, Fachir.

AM Fachir further said that Indonesian government hopes privates sectors in Indonesia are also involved in cooperation to work on projects in African countries.// (VOI/BORGIAS/trans-yati/EDT/AHM)

Tanzania wants to explore cooperation with Indonesia to develop infrastructure for seaport and factory in Tanzania. This was stated by Tanzanian Minister of Trade and Industry, Amina Salum Ali  after signing an agreement with an Indonesian company, Indesso Aroma, in Nusa Dua Bali Convention  Centre, Bali, on Tuesday (20/08).  According to Minister Amina Salum Ali, besides cooperating in developing infrastructure of seaport and factory, Tanzania also wants to cooperate with Indonesia’s state-owned enterprise, WIKA, to develop Convention Center.

"We have already designed an agreement to build two ports. One for oil and gas terminal, with Wika. And then we push building of convention center like this, if Wika agree. And then another program because we want to build more industrial base. Today we have this one for clove oil, but we can look for other product like olive oil to be able to do to export Indonesia," said Minister Amina Salum Ali.

Business agreement between Tanzania with Indonesian company, Indeso Aroma reaches  2.5 million US Dollars. (VOI/BORGIAS/trans-yati/EDT/AHM)