The Ministry of Trade has signed a collaboration agreement with several companies to promote export-oriented small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and creative industry players in the animation, comic, and game (ACG) sectors, as well as licensing-merchandising, to enter international markets. The agreement was signed by the Director General of National Export Development (PEN), Didi Sumedi, with Chief of Corporate Affairs of PT Astra International Tbk, Riza Deliansyah, and leaders from the Indonesian Game Association (AGI), Indonesian Comic Association (AKSI), Cipta Karsa Adi Karya (CAKRA), Indonesian Animation Industry Association (AINAKI), and the Association of Licensing Merchandising Indonesia (ALMI) on May 20, 2024, in Jakarta. "I believe our partners, PT Astra International Tbk. and the ACG and licensing-merchandising associations, show their commitment to enhancing the capacity of Indonesian SMEs to enter the global market," stated Didi Sumedi in a written statement.
The agreement covers activities such as disseminating export information to SMEs, strengthening databases, enhancing product competitiveness, improving market access, providing business infrastructure, utilizing trade representatives abroad, and offering promotion facilities. "This initiative aims to strengthen the SME sector, boost the national economy, and create an inclusive and sustainable business environment for SMEs, especially through capability enhancement and promotion for export markets," he added. Didi highlighted that PT Astra International Tbk has empowered rural communities through the Desa Sejahtera Astra (DSA) program, significantly adding value to Indonesian products. The ACG sector and licensing-merchandising, represented by five associations, are key creative economy subsectors that could become alternative sources of national foreign exchange in the future. He emphasized that these subsectors have significant potential to drive the national economy, particularly by increasing Indonesian exports of both products and services. The Ministry of Trade regularly promotes exports through product exhibitions like the Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI). In 2023, TEI achieved transactions worth USD 30.5 billion and attracted 33,000 visitors. Didi believes this cooperation will significantly contribute and create more multiplier effects for the Indonesian community.
