REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Some 150 entrepreneurs from Indonesia and Slovakia have communicated to discuss mutually beneficial cooperation. They focused in the leading sectors of the food industry, biotechnology, metals and engineering, wood products, energy, and defense of both countries.
In cooperation with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), Slovakian Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO), and Slovakian Embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized the Indonesia-Slovakia Business Forum, in Jakarta (Oct 12) based on a statement from Directorate of Europe II of the Foreign Affairs Ministry received here on Thursday.
The Business Forum was officially opened by Director General of American and European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Muhammad Anshor, along with Director General of Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia, Dusan Matulay. Both directors general underlined that bilateral economic cooperation will increase if entrepreneurs of both countries interacted more and expanded their networks.
Employers can likewise work together to produce certain goods and services according to the advantages they have for further marketing in third countries. The main event of the Business Forum was the activity of business matching conducted after the presentation by BKPM, Indonesian Food and Beverage Association (GAPMMI), and SARIO.
Some 23 Slovak companies participating in the Business Forum included Asseco, As Trade Krupina, Db Biotech, Decent Group, Deltaway, Eden, Eurex Slovakia, Jt Partner, Koliba Trade, Mlyn Pohronský Ruskov, Pps Detva, Tomax Bratislava, Sonne Crystal, Proma Sk, M&M Tatry S.R.O., Bmm Plus, Tatrapenta, Zbop, T-Industry, Štrbské Pleso, Psg Plus S.R.O., Msm Group, and Ng Aviation.
From the Indonesian side, some 50 entrepreneurs and representatives from relevant ministries and institutions, including the Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Communication and Information, Ministry of Agriculture, and the BKPM took part in the Business Forum.
Indonesian-Slovakia bilateral relations have been ongoing since 1993 after the peaceful separation of Czech and Slovakia from the Czechoslovakian Federation. At this time, cooperation between the two countries had developed in various sectors including energy, defense, education, agriculture, trade and investment, as well as tourism.
In the trade sector, both nations' total trade value reached US$60-70 million per year. Meanwhile, in the investment sector, Slovak investors invested $100-300 thousand in Indonesia, especially in the tourism sector.
For socio-cultural cooperation, there were several sectors developing: tourism and educational cooperation. For the tourism sector, an annual increase was recorded in the number of tourists from Slovakia to Indonesia. In 2017, some 8,368 Slovakian tourists had visited Indonesia.
This figure was much higher than 6,629 visitors recorded in 2016 and 5,331 travelers in 2015.
Every year, Indonesia offers Darmasiswa Scholarships and Indonesian Art and Culture Scholarships to Slovaks, and 234 Indonesian alumni in Slovakia have been recorded from both programs.
