Trade Expo Indonesia 2016 was opened on October 12, 2016 by President Joko Widodo at Jakarta International Expo Kemayoran and continued until 16 October 2016. Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, Mr. Yuri O. Thamrin, along with 31 business people from Belgium were present at the Expo.
Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) is the largest tradeshow in Indonesia with strong support from both the Government and the private sector. It includes over 1,100 exhibitors from small and medium enterprises (SMEs), private and state-owned companies, public enterprises, local governments and also ministries / agencies.
The event attracts over 15,000 buyers from 120 countries. During just its first day of, 178.7 million US dollar worth of contracts were signed at the Expo.
The Expo is not only intended for trade but also serves as a forum for tourism and investment opportunities. Discussions on tourism and investments is held during the Expo with seminars on Trade Tourism and Investment (TTI).
TTI, regional discussions, debates, business consulting and one-on-one meetings are the main activities of the Expo. The expo provides buyers with opportunities and guidance on how to do business in Indonesia. Representatives from various Ministries are also present at the Expo to assist with this.
In terms of trade, buyers at the Expo usually look for trade opportunities in home-decor, Indonesian specialty coffee, civet coffee/kopi luwak, spices, tea, organic food products, beverages, seafood products, services and environmental packaging products. Other sectors of interest also include fashion design, kitchen supplies, fresh and frozen seafood, cocoa powder, cocoa butter and palm oil and its derivatives.
From 31 businessmen from Belgium, three companies have already signed a contract or MOU with a supplier or manufacturer in Indonesia:
- Barabas BVBA with Ethno cv Solo for home decor and furniture products
- Javanusa BVBA with PT. Javanero for speciality coffee products
- Indobite BVBA with PT. Sekar Earth Tbk for processed seafood products
These products of export are expected to be distributed around Europe and other nearby markets.
The trade expo is just one of many actions in Indonesia's current efforts to increase international trade and promote investments opportunities. The President of the Republic of Indonesia stressed, during his opening speech, the importance of Indonesian products to increase its competitiveness through strengthening branding of sustainability and environmental friendly standards.
Indonesia is currently also looking to develop bi-lateral relations with several markets in the EU such as Belgium, France, Denmark, Hungary, Portugal, and Poland. Negotiations for the "Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement" (CEPA) with the EU is still expected to be a long process. Until a deal has been signed, sustaining and growing trade and investment activity will likely play an important role in speeding up the process.
The Brussels Times
