In today's global trade environment, reference materials play a vital role. These standard substances, with known properties, are essential for ensuring accurate and reliable test results. They provide a consistent benchmark, ensuring testing procedures and standards are aligned across regions and industries. For businesses, reference materials are crucial for verifying product quality and safety, helping them access new markets confidently. Additionally, in research and development settings, they are instrumental in validating new products and improving processes.
For Lilis, a Quality Control Officer at a Fish Processing Unit in Makassar, the Catch Certificate (SHTI) training organised by the Directorate General of Capture Fisheries (DJPT) under the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MoMAF) and supported by ARISE+ Indonesia offered invaluable insights and knowledge. This is significant because Lilis, who is responsible for ensuring the completeness of SHTI documents, has frequently encountered challenges in the field.
ARISE+ Indonesia continues its unwavering support for the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) in advancing Indonesia's blue economy. Following the successful development and launch of the Indonesian Blue Economy Index (IBEI), a Training of Trainers (ToT) was organised from 2-4 October 2023, focusing on IBEI calculations. This training was specifically tailored to equip Bappenas' Blue Economy core team with the knowledge and skills needed for ongoing refinement and updates to the IBEI. With plans for annual updates and publications, IBEI is poised to become a crucial tool in monitoring the Blue Economy's national and regional performance in Indonesia.
As nations around the world grapple with the challenges posed by dumping and its detrimental effects on local industries, a simple yet powerful tool for calculating the margin of dumping could be a game-changer for both the Directorate of Trade Defense (DPP) and the Indonesia Anti-Dumping Committee (KADI) within the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia.
While many of the key investment decisions both from government and businesses take place in Jakarta and other major cities, the actual investment activities often tend to take place outside of the capital, whether in the industrial clusters of Java, or other business hubs, such at Batam, which is strategically located around 30 kilometres from Singapore.
Indonesia is intensifying its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and meet climate commitments while creating lucrative investment opportunities in sustainable development projects for international investors. During a key stakeholder meeting with European counterparts from the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), the European Union Delegation to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam, and several European financial institutions, the Government of Indonesia presented two electric vehicle projects, four Public-Private Partnership initiatives in waste management, renewable energy, and infrastructure, as well as a private sector project in sustainable mining and mineral processing.
Indonesia's sustainable development initiatives could tap into de-risking products from the European Union through the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+). The program operates using a guarantee mechanism in association with financial institutions. For the first batch of the Asia Pacific region, including Indonesia, a guarantee fund of EUR 1.3 billion is earmarked, aiming to mobilise a substantial EUR 14 billion in investment funds. Potential sectors eligible to apply for this funding include renewable energy, sustainable cities, and natural capital encompassing forestry, agriculture, and WASH.
As Indonesia recognises the increasing significance of the services economy and services trade, strategic steps are being implemented to harness its potential and impact on the nation's economic landscape.
In a bid to further trade negotiations and address Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs), the Ministry of Trade (MoT), in partnership with ARISE+ Indonesia, has rolled out the second series of capacity-building initiatives. These activities aim to enhance the expertise of trade negotiators and analysts in Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs), a pivotal area in the ongoing negotiations for the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
ARISE+ Indonesia, represented by Arief Safari, the Export Quality Infrastructure Senior Expert, and Prof. Dedi Fardiaz, the Food Safety Senior Expert, participated in a coordination meeting hosted by the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) on Thursday, August 10, 2023. The meeting aimed to discuss mapping food safety data and information across various ministries and institutions. The event was held online and saw participation from representatives of the Fish Quarantine and Quality Control Agency (BKIPM) - Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Plant Quarantine and Vegetable Biosafety Center - Ministry of Agriculture, Director of Supervision of Food Safety and Quality Standards Implementation - National Food Agency, and the Information and Data Centre of BPOM.
