Indonesian ambassador calls on Jordanian businesspeople to ‘fully utilise business potential’

AMMAN — Indonesian Ambassador to Jordan Andy Rachmianto on Monday called on the Kingdom's business community to “fully utilise the prospective Indonesian market” and to “take advantage of Indonesia’s high quality products”, stressing that “the bilateral trade value in 2016 did not reflect the true potential between Jordan and Indonesia”.

The remarks came during a business dinner organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Amman, where more than 125 prominent Jordanian business figures were present. 

The event was also attended by Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yarub Qudah, who delivered a keynote speech on the ways to enhance bilateral ties and cooperation between the two countries. 

During his speech, the ambassador noted that the bilateral trade value declined almost by half in 2016, standing at $256 million. 

Rachmianto attributed this drop to the current regional situation, and to the closure of the borders with Iraq and Syria.

“However, we just heard good news earlier this month, as the border of Jordan-Iraq was reopened,” he said, expressing that “this not only indicated the success of combating the terrorism of Daesh, but more importantly, the huge opportunities for the resumption of trade and access to Iraq, including many Indonesian products that penetrated the Jordanian market and can now be re-exported.”

Furthermore, the ambassador provided the Jordanian business community with an overview of the latest developments of Indonesia in economy, trade, tourism and investment. 

Rachmianto noted that Indonesia has improved its investment climate by providing more attractive incentives and facilities for investors, noting that in 2015, a one-stop-service centre was implemented by the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board with the aim to “provide a faster, simpler and more transparent investment licensing service”.

Furthermore, the ambassador highlighted that 15 economic packages were introduced by Jokowi’s (President Joko Widodo) government, “aimed at easing the process of doing business in Indonesia.”

In terms of tourism, Rachmianto noted that Indonesia is now introducing the “10 new Bali” destinations, which are expected to “attract 20 million inbound tourists by 2019.”

He remarked that 169 countries — including Jordan and Palestine — were given visa free travel to Indonesia in 2016, adding that “conversely, 50,000 Indonesian tourists came to Jordan as part of the umrah [the lesser Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca] package.”

Regarding the general economic situation, the ambassador noted the “positive economic growth” in Indonesia, which has reached 5.1 per cent this year, highlighting that the country is the “largest and strongest economy in Southeast Asia, with a GDP per capita of $3,493 in 2016.

To conclude, the ambassador invited the Jordanian business community to attend major economic events in Indonesia in the third-half of the year, including the Indonesia-Middle East Annual Gathering on Economy (IMAGE) on October 8-10, the Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) from October 11-15, and the Regional Investment Forum (RIF) on October15-17.