Wamendag Jerry: Indonesia And The Mekong Valley Countries Need To Work Together

Dok/Kemendag

Wamendag Jerry: Indonesia And The Mekong Valley Countries Need To Work Together

Monday, 14 Oct 2024

Deputy Minister of Trade Jerry Sambuaga urged Indonesia and the Mekong River countries—Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar—to keep working together to boost trade cooperation and enhance economic stability in the region.

He made this statement while opening a forum titled “Indonesia-Mekong Basin Connect: Infrastructure, Food, and Energy Security” at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) on Friday (October 11). The event saw participation from over 100 attendees, including representatives from ministries, academia, associations, and businesses, and was a collaboration between the Ministry of Trade and the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh, held alongside the 39th Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI).

“Indonesia and the Mekong River countries need to collaborate. The positive trade performance between Indonesia and these countries, showing a growth trend of 9.14 percent from 2019 to 2024, indicates strong cooperation that should continue. This is essential for promoting economic stability in the region,” said Deputy Minister Jerry.

According to him, there’s significant potential for trade between Indonesia and the Mekong Valley countries in various sectors, including agriculture and food security, fisheries, tourism, renewable energy investment projects, and infrastructure trade and investment.

“This initiative should enhance infrastructure, food security, and energy resilience as the foundation for economic stability. Additionally, joint efforts in these sectors can foster mutual growth, economic resilience, and sustainable trade and investment among nations,” he added.

Jerry emphasized that collaboration and synergy are crucial because Indonesia cannot thrive in isolation, and maximizing trade with its closest neighbors in Southeast Asia is essential.

I want to encourage everyone here today to promote and boost cooperation between Indonesia and the Mekong countries through a commitment to collaboration and sustainability for our shared well-being, concluded Deputy Minister Jerry.