The Indonesian Minister of Trade, Zulkifli Hasan, virtually opened the Coordination Meeting and Technical Meeting (Rakornis) of the Indonesian Trade Representatives Abroad at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, Australia. In his speech, the Minister expressed hope that every trade representative abroad could enhance exports and support the realization of the Indonesia Emas vision. He emphasized the need for collaboration and innovation. Acting Secretary-General of the Ministry of Trade, Suhanto, explained that the Rakornis for 2024 is being held in Melbourne, Australia, from July 10-12, 2024. The event is attended by 120 trade representatives from abroad, including the Indonesian Ambassador to the WTO in Geneva, the head of KDEI in Taipei, trade attachés, trade consuls in Hong Kong, and heads of ITPC. Suhanto highlighted that the technical coordination would expedite the implementation of the Ministry's programs, which are vital for achieving the Indonesia Emas target. The event includes a series of discussions and visits to various locations.
Maharany Putri, Head of Government & Public Relations at PT Tata Metal Lestari, explained that the IA-CEPA significantly impacts the steel industry in Indonesia and Australia. It enhances trade opportunities for goods and services, investment, and economic cooperation between the two countries. The agreement fosters innovation, knowledge transfer, and research and development in the steel industry. The agreement reduces market barriers and costs for exporters to Australia, and opens resource potential for Indonesia's downstream steel industry, demonstrating better cost efficiency and fairer pricing. PT Tata Metal Lestari has been exporting coated steel as raw material for structural lightweight steel and metal roofing products for housing construction in Australia, with export volumes reaching 3,000-3,500 tons per month and 500-600 tons per month to strategic partners since the first export in October 2020. Maharany hopes that the Rakornis 2024 and visits to strategic partners will demonstrate the strength of collaboration between the government and Indonesian businesses, aiming to boost non-oil and gas export performance, including the export of Indonesian steel products to the global market, with ongoing monitoring and evaluation to measure effectiveness over time.
