VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia paid special attention to increasing trade and investment cooperation with Indonesian non-traditional market countries, and one of them was Argentin and MERCOSUR. This was stated by the Minister of Trade in a meeting with Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trust, Jorge Marcelo Fauire, which took place at the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trust in Buenos Aires on Monday (13/5) local time. "The Indonesian and Argentinian economies are complementary but so far less excavated as with countries in Asia and Europe.

For this reason, talks were held at the ministerial level, as well as following up on the recent visit of the Vice President of Argentina to Jakarta, "explained the Minister of Trade. In the open meeting, the two Ministers agreed to form a small team to assess in time what could be exchanged between Indonesia and Argentina . This small team will identify the challenges in the two-way trade between Indonesia and Argentina, and in parallel examine the feasibility of rolling out the preference shift between Indonesia and MERCOSUR, where Argentina is one of its founders.

The Minister of Trade conveyed that Indonesia is committed to increasing trade cooperation with South American countries. This remembers the increasingly urgent need to diversify the export market amid predictions that both the world economy and international trade will continue to experience weakness this year. "Economic cooperation between Indonesia and Argentina will have important geostrategic values. Indonesia can use Argentina as a regional hub to enter other nearby markets in the Latin American region. Similarly, Argentina can use Indonesia to enter the ASEAN market, the ASEAN FTA partner market, and the RCEP market which is currently still being negotiated, "added Enggar. After meeting with Argentina's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trust, the Minister of Religion held a limited meeting with the President and Vice President of the MERCOSUR-ASEAN Chamber of Commerce which was formed in 2015.

"Indonesia is a mass critical mass’ASEAN which is our focus to increase business activities between MERCOSUR and ASEAN. For this reason, we appreciate the opportunity to have an audience with the Indonesian Minister of Trade today, "said President of the MERCOSUR and ASEAN Chamber of Commerce, Piet Verdult. In this meeting the Minister of Trade emphasized that many efforts were taken sporadically, both by business people and ASEAN Embassies and MERCOSUR in its accreditation area to increase trade and two-way investment. However, in the midst of current world trade challenges, extra work is needed to 'connect all the dots'. Overview of Indonesia-Argentina Trade Relations Argentina is Indonesia's second largest trading partner after Brazil in the South American region.

The total value of trade between Indonesia and Argentina in 2018 was USD 2 billion, an increase of 18 percent compared to 2017. In 2018, Indonesia's main exports to Argentina included natural rubber, combustion piston engines, motorized vehicle parts and accessories, and foot and foot pedals. Meanwhile, Indonesia's main imports from Argentina in 2018 include wheat, soybeans, cotton and steel pipes. As for other products that have the potential to be exported from Indonesia to Argentina, among others are telephone, motorized vehicles, automatic data processing machines, transmission equipment parts, wire, and vacuum or air pump. (press rel)

As the tension between the United States and Iran was increasing,US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo visited Russia to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and  President Vladimir Putin.

In his meeting with Sergey Lavrov and other Russian leaders,  Tuesday Moscow time, Mike Pompeo stated that US  President Donald Trump has a strong desire to improve good relations between the two countries. The statement very possibly is  in connection with increasing tensions between Washington and Moscow related to new  US pressure on Iran.

The US hostility  against Iran, in the form of new economic sanctions and sending  American carriers to the Gulf region, has made Washington's relations with Moscow tense. This happened because Russia has good  relationship and cooperation with Iran.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meanwhile, was eager to find out   the American plans  in resolving its tensions with Iran. Washington's policy towards Tehran, became important for Russia, because in a few weeks President Vladimir Putin will likely meet Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G 20 Summit in Osaka Japan.

Commitments of the two countries to find a way out for crisis in various regions, especially in the Middle East including Iran will influence the geopolitical conditions of the world. As is known the US new sanctions for Iran were applied while Western European countries still  have economic relations with Iran.

Last year  , western European countries disagreed with US decisions last year  to pull out  from the Iran Nuclear agreement.  Now  Washington  has continued  to increase its pressure on Tehran including imposing  sanctions on Iran's Metal sector.  This despite of the fact that  Iran and some Western European countries still have  trade relations in the sector.

Whether  US policy towards Iran will change, will be determined,  among other things, by Mike Pompeo's talk with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, May 15, as well as further talks between the two Presidents in Osaka the next few weeks.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that Islamic economics has great potential at the global level, at the world level. Quoting the Minister of National Development Planning, the President said that the potential in 2023 would reach 3 trillion dollars or approximately Rp45,000 trillion.

"I can't imagine such numbers because what we manage our current state budget is around 2,000 fewer," said President Jokowi when delivering a speech at the launch of the Indonesian Islamic Economics Masterplan 2019-2024 in the Ministry of National Development Planning / Bappenas , Central Jakarta, Tuesday (5/14) afternoon.

According to the President, this is a great power that must be seen and begun to think about, to take on this huge economic opportunity.

But unfortunately, the President continued, according to the Global Islamic Economy Indicator, in 2018 Indonesia was still ranked 10th in the ranking of countries that implement Islamic economics. According to the President, Indonesia's position is still far behind Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Qatar, Pakistan and Kuwait.

"This is our big work together," said President Jokowi.

The President stressed, the time had come to arouse Islamic economic potential in Indonesia, and make Indonesia the center of the world's leading Islamic economy, because Indonesia is indeed the country with the largest Muslim population in the world.

President Jokowi believes that Islamic economics can also help alleviate poverty, improve people's welfare, encourage social justice, and also preserve the environment. This, continued the President, is also in line with the sustainable development goals carried out. For this reason, at the beginning of the year, according to the President, the government has formed executive management of the National Islamic Finance Committee, which will also oversee the implementation of the Indonesian Islamic Economics Masterplan in the future.

"So there are those who escort, so that every development, we can check every progress and we follow it," continued the President.

By launching the Indonesian Islamic Economics Masterplan 2019-2024, President Jokowi assessed that Indonesia made a big leap to strengthen Indonesia's Islamic sharia ecosystem, because building this ecosystem is indeed the most difficult.

"The master plan that will guide us all is carried out in its implementation, to monitor the progress of its development, to ensure that we ensure its achievements," said President Jokowi.

The President stressed that the government will continue to strengthen the halal value chain with a focus on the food and beverage sector, fashion, tourism, media, recreation and pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. And as a supporter, the government will also strengthen Islamic finance. "We will continue to strengthen our MSMEs, we will strengthen our digital economy," he said.

On that occasion, the Head of State admitted that he was very happy to hear that there are now markets that not only offer 1-2 halal products.

"I think this is a step for us to market our many products. So that we not only become the largest consumer country of global halal products but also become the largest producer of products that will enter other countries, "said the Head of State.

According to the Head of State, many have now focused for example in Muslim fashion. He saw that in terms of design the class was really very visible, going into the upper middle class. Designed very neatly and nicely, according to the President, the price if seen is also very competitive.

"Things like this that I think we should give space so that we can display those products in the Indonesian marketplace and then put them into the global marketplace / global marketplace network," said the Head of State.

President Jokowi believes that when all are committed to running this Indonesian sharia economic masterplan, Indonesia will soon become the center of the world's leading sharia economy. (kemensetkab)

The Indonesian Government has decided to lower price ceiling for domestic airfare by 12-16% which will be effective from 15 May for Java routes as well as for flights to Jayapura.

“The Government takes this measure for the sake of both airlines and the passengers,” Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution said during Coordination Meeting on Airfare at the office of Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, Jakarta, early this week.

The Government, Darmin added, has noticed an airfare surge among domestic airline companies since the end of December 2018 and the airfare has not dropped after 10 January 2019. The impact of airfare hike will affect the people, especially before the Eid homecoming season, he stated.

The Minister also said that the price ceiling for domestic airfare regulated in the Decree of Minister of Transportation Number 72 of 2019 has not changed significantly since 2014 and was suspected to be one of the reasons for high airfare.

According to Darmin, another factor to be calculated is aircraft fuel price increase. At the end of December 2018, aircraft fuel prices reached US$86.29 a barrel, the highest since December 2014, resulting in an increase in the operational expenses of airline companies so that they needed to be compensated by rising airfare.

“The decision to cut the price ceiling will be effective after the signing of Minister of Transportation Regulation on the expected date of May 15, 2019. This decision will be continuously evaluated based on applicable regulations to maintain airfare for domestic flights by considering a balance between consumer protection and business continuity,” Darmin said.

Darmin further said that collaboration between Ministries/Agencies and related business entities is needed for regular basis evaluation of the national aviation industry so potential problems or issues can always be identified earlier. “Thus, the aviation industry, especially air passenger services, can perform better and be more stable,” he said. (Coordinating Ministry for the Economy )