Trade Expo 2008 succeeds to diversify markets

Despite lower transaction result than the estimation, Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) 2008 recorded a bright progress on diversification of emerging markets and kinds of products, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said in a press briefing here Friday.

Rising up to 2.8 percent worth of US$ 5.91 million compared to last year`s total transaction TEI 2008 accumulated US$ 214.17 million from 37 kinds of products with 69 percent of the total figure contributed from non-traditional markets such as South America, Middle East and Africa countries.

Egypt came in the first place with transaction value worth of US$ 28.47 million followed by Bulgaria (US$ 12.25 million), Saudi Arabia (US$ 6.26 million), Union Arab Emirates (US$ 5.28 million) Algeria (US$ 6.85 million).

"It is understandable that there is a decrease from the target since we are currently facing financial crisis. Fortunately Indonesia has implemented market diversification that we can rely on non-traditional markets," the minister said.

The minister also officialy announced 24th Trade Expo would be held on October 28-November 1, 2009 at Jakarta International Expo.

Some evaluations that should be done in the following event as mentioned by the minister were making visits to production factories available for the potential buyers, constructing better booths and placements.

"Eventhough the event is over, we keep relations with the buyers as a follow up. Just like our previous experiences many transactions either as a first or repeat order were made after TEI," she said.

source: Antara

Cintai produk dalam negeri

Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono menegaskan lagi agar masyarakat Indonesia mencintai produk dalam negeri. Karena akan memperkuat pasar domestik dan mengurangi nilai impor untuk menghemat devisa negara.

"Saya tidak bosan-bosan mengajak seluruh masyarakat agar mencintai produk dalam negeri. Jika kita mencintai produk dalam negeri maka akan memperkuat pasar domestik dan mengurangi nilai impor untuk menghemat devisa negara," ajak Presiden Yudhoyona dalam sambutan membuka Trade Expo Indonesia ke-23 di Jakarta International Expo, Arena PRJ, Jakarta, Selasa (21/10).

Trade Expo 2008 bertema "Apa Jadinya Dunia Tanpa Indonesia" berlangsung pada 21-25 Oktober 2008. Diikuti oleh sedikitnya 850 peserta dari Usaha Kecil dan Menengah (UKM), Badan Usaha Milik Negara (BUMN), koperasi dan 12 pemerintah Provinsi.

Turut mendampingi Presiden pada acara pembukaan Trade Expo Indonesia 2008 antara lain, Menteri Perdagangan Mari Pangestu, Menteri Keuangan Sri Mulyani, Menteri Perhubungan Jusman Syafeii Djamal, Menteri Perindustrian Fahmi Idris, Menteri Negeri Lingkungan Hidup Rachmat Witoelar, dan Menteri Kelautan dan Perikanan Freddy Numberi.

Transaksi dagang dari Trade Expo 2008, ditargetkan sebesar 220 juta dolar AS. Pada 2007, nilai transaksi dagang yang diperoleh dari ajang yang sama senilai 200 juta dolar AS.

Panitia telah mengundang pembeli luar negeri dari 108 negara, dan mereka menyatakan siap hadir di ajang promosi dagang Indonesia terbesar pada 2008 tersebut.

Trade Expo 2008 merupakan ajang tahunan yang mempromosikan produk dan jasa non komoditas yang kompetitif serta manawarkan nilai lebih bagi pengunjung dan pembeli
Sepuluh jenis produk utama Indonesia yang akan dipamerkan pada TEI 2008 yakni produk mebel, elektronik, alas kaki (sepatu), udang, kopi, kakao, karet/produk karet, komponen.

Sebelum membuka acara, Presiden Yudhoyono memberikan penghargaan Primaniyarta 2008 kepada 27 eksportir. Penghargaan tersebut dibagi atas lima kategori yaitu eksportir berkinerja, pembangunan merek global, Usaha Kecil dan Menengah (UKM) eskpor, usaha kecil, dan pelaku eskpor ekonomi kreatif.

Penghargaan Primaniyarta diberikan pemerintah sejak 1992 kepada eskportir yang dinilai berprestasi. Pemberian penghargaan itu sempat terhenti ketika terjadinya krisis moneter pada 1998 hingga 2000. Namun, sejak 2001 pemberian penghargaan tersebut dilanjutkan kembali.

Pemberian penghargaan dimaksudkan untuk memotivasi dunia usaha agar lebih giat meningkatkan nilai ekspor non migas serta mendorong pertumbuhan jumlah pelaku eskpor non migas.

source: Media Indonesia

President Yudhoyono opens Trade Expo Indonesia 2008

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened the 23rd Trade Expo Indonesia 2008 at the Jakarta International Expo ground in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday. Themed "What Happens to a World without Indonesia" the Trade Expo Indonesia 2008 from October 21-25 is participated in by at least 850 small- and medium-scale (UKM) businessmen, state enterprises (BUMNs), cooperatives, and 12 provincial administrations.

In his opening address, President Yudhoyono called on his countrymen to love domestic products in accordance with the government`s policy to strengthen the domestic market and to save foreign exchange by reducing imports.

On the occasion the head of state was accompanied by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, Transportation Minister Jusman Syafeii Djamal, Industry Minister Fahmi Idris, State Minister for Environment Affairs Rachmat Witoelar, and Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi.

Before opening the expo, President Yudhoyono presented Primadiyarta awards to 27 exporters. The award has been periodically presented by the government to outstanding exporters since 1992 but it was stopped during the monetary crisis in 1998-200, and then was reactivated in 2001. The presentation of the awards was intended to motivate the exporters to increase non-oil and non-gas exports, and to step up the number of non-oil and non-gas exporters.

Trade Expo 2008 is expected to generate trade transactions worth up to US$220 million or up by US$20 million from US$200 million booked during the same event last year. At least 2,300 foreign buyers from 108 countries have expressed readiness to visit Indonesia`s greatest trade promotion this year. Indonesia`s ten main products being introduced in this year`s expo are furniture, electronics, footwear, shrimp, coffee, cacao, rubber and rubber products, automotive components, palm oil, and textiles/textile products. More than 800 participants from various provinces across the country are also exhibiting their top quality products which are expected to attract foreign buyers.

source: Antara

Indonesia prakarsai World Ocean Conference 2009

Indonesia akan memprakarsai World Ocean Conference (WOC) 2009 yang digelar pada 11-15 Mei 2009 di Manado, Sulawesi Utara, dan mendeklarasikan Manado Ocean Declaration (MOD). Saat jumpa pers dengan media di Hotel Borobudur siang ini, Sekretaris Menteri Koordinator Kesejahteraan Rakyat Indroyono Susilo mengatakan, even ini merupakan pertama kalinya Indonesia memiliki inisiatif untuk mengadakan konferensi internasional.

"Tema konferensi internasional ini 'Ocean and Climate Change' yang ingin mengangkat keberadaan laut dalam peran dan fungi strategisnya terhadap perubahan iklim global," ujar Indroyono.

Acara tersebut akan dihadiri sekitar 1.000 peserta dari 111 negara yang memiliki laut, terdiri dari negara maju dan negara berkembang. Selain itu dikatakan Staf Ahli Menteri Bidang Kebijakan Publik Departemen Kelautan dan Perikanan Gellwyn Jusuf, tujuan diadakan seminar ini untuk menggalang komitmen masyarakat dunia dalam memelihara fungsi laut sebagai upaya adaptasi dan mitigasi perubahan iklim.

Saat WOC 2009 berlangsung, dituturkan Gelwyn, akan dilakukan beberapa kegiatan, seperti Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI). Pertemuan ini dihadiri Indonesia, Filipina, Malaysia, Papua Niugini, Kepulauan Solomon, dan Timor Leste. "Indonesia sebagai negara kepulauan terbesar sudah seharusnya memprakarsai konferensi tentang laut. Negara-negara lain itu menunggu kita bereaksi dan pasti mereka mendukung," tuturnya.

Konferensi ini akan membahas peran laut dalam perubahan iklim global, keanekaragaman hayati laut dunia, industri dan jasa maritim, mitigasi bencana alam di laut, dan pengelolaan laut dan pesisir terpadu berdasar ekosistem. "Kami mengajak berbagai pihak untuk bekerja sama, selain pelaksana Deplu RI, Departemen Kelautan dan Perikanan, LSM juga kami libatkan," tutur Gellwyn.

source: kompas.com | July 2008

President Yudhoyono opens micro-credit summit in Bali

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is slated to open an Asia-Pacific regional micro credit summit in the resort island of Bali on Monday (July 28).

The president and entourage including First Lady Ani Yudhoyono and a number of ministers left Halim Perdanakusuma Military Air Base here for Bali by a Garuda special flight on Sunday afternoon.

At 9.30 a.m. on Monday, the president will open the meeting to take place at the Bali International Convention Center in Nusa Dua.

During the opening ceremony, Yudhoyono will be accompanied by Governor of Bank Indonesia (the central bank) Boediono, Director of the Micro Credit Summit Campaign Sam Daley Haris and founder of Bangladesh`s Grameen Bank Muhammad Yunus.

On the occasion, Muhammad Yunus in his capacity as an international micro credit figure will present a token of appreciation to Ani Yudhoyono for her service in the development of micro finance in Indonesia.

After opening the summit, Yudhoyono will receive Muhammad Yunus at the Hotel Intercontinental Bali Resort.

The president and entourage will return to Jakarta at around 3 p.m. on Monday. The summit will later be chaired by Honduras President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales.

President Rosales has expressed deep support for the summit, saying support for the micro financial sector laid a fundamental basis for the creation of strong democracy and good governance and was imperative to improve productivity and competitive edge to reduce the poverty rate.

source: Antara | July 2008

Pengusaha Tionghoa dunia gelar konvensi bisnis di Jakarta

Indonesia akan menjadi tuan rumah konvensi bisnis internasional pengusaha Indonesia dan pengusaha Tionghoa terkemuka yang akan dilangsungkan di Hotel Mulia Jakarta, 18-19 Juli, diikuti lebih dari 150 pengusaha nasional dan 97 pengusaha Tionghoa dunia yang berasal dari sejumlah negara.

"Konvensi ini bertujuan memperlihatkan dunia internasional bahwa Indonesia saat ini berada pada kondisi ekonomi yang terus bertumbuh, aman, dan merupakan salah satu negara tujuan investasi dunia," kata Ketua Umum Perhimpunan Indonesia Tionghoa (INTI) Rachman Hakim pada konferensi pers di Jakarta, Rabu (16/7).

Diharapkan dengan konvensi ini akan menambah masuk sejumlah investasi ke dalam negeri sehingga berdampak positif bagi perekonomian nasional. "Kegiatan ini sekaligus mendukung program pemerintah menetapkan 2008 sebagai tahun kunjungan wisata," tutur Rachman.

Sejumlah pengusaha besar asal Tionghoa yang mengikuti konvensi di antaranya berasal dari Mongolia, Spanyol, Inggris, Australia, RRC, dan Amerika Serikat. Para pengusaha ini tergabung dalam organisasi World Eminence Chinese Business Association.

Sementara itu, Sekjen INTI Budi S Tanuwibowo mengatakan, pengusaha Tionghoa yang akan menghadiri konvensi berasal dari berbagai latar belakang investasi, seperti industri, pertambangan, properti, dan pariwisata. "Kita akan menjembatani antara pengusaha dalam negeri dan dunia," ujarnya.

Dalam konvensi nanti para pengusaha Tionghoa, terutama yang ada di Indonesia, akan memaparkan soal visi bisnis mereka. Selain itu diharapkan ada realisasi investasi dari konvensi ini. "Kepada pengusaha Tionghoa kita ingin jelaskan bahwa berita-berita negatif tentang Indonesia di luar negeri sama sekali tak perlu dikhawatirkan karena buktinya investasi masih terus berjalan," tuturnya.

source: kompas.com | July 2008

Indonesia to host Asia-Pacific anti-money laundering meeting

Indonesia will host the 11th annual meeting and 7th annual technical assistance and training forum of the Asia Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering on July 7-11.

"The meeting will take place at the Bali International Convention Center, Westin Hotel in Bali, Indonesia," spokesman of the Center for Financial Transaction Reporting and Analysis (PPATK) Natsir Kongah said on Friday.

He said more than 260 officials of financial intelligence units (FIU) from APG member countries and 19 international organizations as well as 6 observers from Asia and the Pacific would take part in the Bali meeting.

They would discuss a wide range of crucial issues related to money laundering and terrorism funding offences, he said.

source: Antara | July 2008

Yudhoyono spreads anti-violence message

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday opened a three-day World Peace Forum in Jakarta that will bring together hundreds of world leaders to discuss the issue of religious violence.

The event is being co-hosted by Muhammadiyah (Indonesia's second largest Islamic organization), the Center for Dialogue and Cooperation among Civilizations and the Cheng Ho Multi-Culture Trust.

Some 200 prominent figures from religious, political, business and media backgrounds are attending the event.

"There is always hope for peace no matter how difficult the situation is," Yudhoyono said, citing examples of conflicts in Southeast Asia, including the decades-long domestic conflict in Aceh.

He said many religious-based conflicts had been triggered by political, economic and social issues.

"Therefore, we should foster a culture of peace especially among the youth, and teachers should instruct on the instruments of peace, including dialogue, negotiation and confidence building."

After Yudhoyono delivered his speech, anti-violence messages by a host of former and current world leaders were read aloud or conveyed via video.

They included former Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and Dutch Prime Minister Jan Balkenende.

"We should focus on what joins us rather than what separates us," Rudd said.

Political leaders who have confirmed their attendance at the event include Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, Timor Leste President Xanana Gusmao, former Tunis prime minister Hedi Baccaoche and Amina Rasul-Bernardo, the lead convener of the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy.

source: Jakarta Post | June 2008

Pameran Alat Transportasi Digelar di Deperin

Departemen Perindustrian mulai hari ini menggelar pameran industri alat berat dan pendukungnya, di Plaza Pameran Industri, Jalan Gatot Soebroto, Jakarta. Acara ini akan berlangsung sampai tanggal 27 Juni mendatang dan terbuka untuk umum dari jam 10.00 WIB sampai pukul 17.00 WIB.

Menurut ketua penyelenggara Syarif
Hidayat, peserta yang turut berpartisipasi dalam pameran ini ada 39 perusahaan yang tersebar dalam 55 stan. Peserta terbanyak datang dari sektor transportasi, sebanyak 28 perusahaan, baik transportasi darat dan laut. "Sisanya merupakan perusahaan-perusahaan maritim, jasa keteknikan dan jasa perbengkelan," katanya.

Pameran ini secara resmi dibuka oleh Menteri Perindustrian yang diwakili oleh Direktur Jenderal Industri Alat Transportasi dan Telematika Budi Dharmadi. Dari pidato pembukaannya, Dharmadi mengatakan pertumbuhan industri transportasi di tahun 2008 adalah sebanyak 6 persen, sedangkan pertumbuhan ekspornya sendiri mendekati 40 persen.

Kegiatan yang dilakukan pemerintah yang bekerja sama dengan para pengusaha transportasi ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan informasi dan promosi tentang produk dalam negeri terutama tentang alat berat. "Pameran ini merupakan langkah konkrit pemerintah untuk meningkatkan pertumbuhan di sektor transportasi dan pendukungnya," kata Dharmadi.

source: kompas.com | 24 June 2008

Indonesia to host Basel Convention Parties` conference

Indonesia will host the Ninth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Basel Convention, at Nusa Dua, Bali province, from June 23 to 27, 2008.

The conference is expected to be attended by 1,000 participants, including around 30 ministers, from 170 countries.

Indonesia`s Environmental Affairs Minister Rachmat Witoelar in his capacity as president of COP is scheduled to officially open the conference.

The conference will discuss five issues, namely waste handling, legal aspects of waste import bans, strengthening cooperation with other related conventions, regional cooperation in strengthening the Basel Convention`s position, and holding a world forum on waste management related to human health.

The conference is expected to yield an agreement on cooperation in and regulation on transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and waste disposal in the respective countries.

It has 170 member countries (Parties) and aims to protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects resulting from the generation, management, transboundary movements and disposal of hazardous and other wastes.

source: Antara | 21 June 2006

IPB to host int`l conference on jatropha as biofuel feedstock

The Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) will host an international conference on "Researches to The Near Future Business" here from June 24 to 26, 2008.

At least 10 countries will take part in the conference that is to discuss the use of jatropha curcas to make biofuel and the possibility of banning the use of food crops as feedstock to produce biofuel, according to Dr Eng. Erliza Hambali here on Saturday.

Among countries to participate in the meeting will be Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Australia, Canada, Korea, Vietnam and China.

The conference would be organized in cooperation with PT Indocement which is currently investing in jatropha plantation for alternative energy, the Plantation Development and Research Center and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN).

"We hope that the meeting will be a forum for exchange of ideas, information and technology among related parties engaged in bio-energy development using jatropha from all over the world," she said.

source: Antara | 21 June 2008

Indonesia to open trade promotion centers in 11 cities abroad

Indonesia will open trade promotion centers (ITPC) for export products in eleven cities in the world in 2008 to strenghten penetration to foreign markets.

"We have just received a permit to process another eleven. We will maximize the function of the ITPC to help promote and identify market opportunities and inform them to Jakarta," Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said here over the weekend.

The eleven cities are Shanghai (China), Busan (S. Korea), Chennai (India), San Diego(US), Chicago (US), Barcelona (Spain), Lagos (Nigeria), Vancouver (Canada), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) and Lyon (France).

Earlier, Indonesia already had ITPC offices in nine cities Osaka (Japan), Budapest (Hungary), Los Angelos (US), Milan (Italy), Sydney (Australia), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Hamburg (Germany) and Johanesburg (S. Africa).

source: Antara | 8 June 2008

Nusantara arts and culture, trade and industry exhibition to be held in Bukittinggi

Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand are scheduled to join a Nusantara arts and culture, trade and industry exhibition which will take place here in October 2008, an official said.

"We have contacted the four countries and they agree to take part in the event in October," Nasrul M Pietra, head of the Bukittinggi Arts and Culture Agency said on Wednesday.

This annual event in October will be the eighth of its kind, and the promotion by the local administration was aimed at luring more foreign tourists to come to the cool weather city.

In holding cultural event, which will take place from October 28 to November 6, 2008, the local administration has prepared a total of Rp350 million.

The local administration will resume cooperation with PT Oasis Mitra Pratama, a third party based in Jakarta, Nasrul said, adding that M Ramzi Ibrahim, a Malaysian national has been assigned to serve as Bukittinggi`s "tourism envoy" in Malaysia.