The Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) hosted the sixth and final meeting of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) for ARISE+ Indonesia, marking the culmination of a five-year program aimed at bolstering EU-Indonesia trade and investment cooperation. The gathering convened key stakeholders, including representatives from Bappenas, the Ministry of Trade, and the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, who are at the helm of coordinating the four Priority Areas/Components of the programme. The European Union (EU) Delegation and the ARISE+ Indonesia Technical Assistance Team were also present, alongside other key beneficiaries like the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the Ministry of Investment, the Ministry of Industry, and the National Standardization Agency.
Co-chaired by PN Laksmi Kusumawati, Director of Trade, Investment, and International Economic Cooperation at Bappenas and the Programme Director of ARISE+ Indonesia, along with Thibaut Portevin, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation, the event highlighted the positive achievements of the ARISE+ Indonesia programme.
In her address, Ms Laksmi, on behalf of the Government of Indonesia, expressed deep gratitude to the European Union for their unwavering support through the ARISE+ Indonesia Trade Support Facility. She acknowledged the vital contributions and cooperation of various ministries and agencies in successfully implementing ARISE+ Indonesia. She also commended the ARISE+ Indonesia team for their dedication and exceptional work.
Mr Portevin emphasized that trade and investment remain top priorities in the EU and Indonesia's partnership. With ARISE+ Indonesia reaching its conclusion, the EU has launched a new instrument to bolster cooperation and investment with Indonesia, named the Indonesia-EU Cooperation Facility. On behalf of the EU Delegation to Indonesia, Mr Portevin expressed his deep appreciation to Bappenas, various ministries, agencies, and the ARISE+ Indonesia team for their outstanding collaboration in implementing the ARISE+ Indonesia programme.
Alessandro Martinatto, the Team Leader of the ARISE+ Indonesia Technical Assistance Team 2, presented an update on the progress and outcomes of the 5th Annual Work Plan. He reported that most activities have been completed with satisfactory results. He also detailed the planned activities for the final six months of implementation, with ARISE+ Indonesia set to conclude in July 2024.
Mr Martinatto emphasized that the focus in the final year was to complete the outstanding tasks of the 5th Annual Work Plan, without initiating any new activities. However, he noted that smaller, demand-driven activities could still be accommodated, provided there is sufficient budget.
The PSC meeting also featured testimonies from beneficiaries who celebrated the program's accomplishments.
Sri Endang Novitasari, Director of Investment Promotion for European and American Regions at the Ministry of Investment (BKPM), expressed her gratitude, saying, "Our sincere gratitude to ARISE+ Indonesia for their invaluable support in developing the EU-Indonesia Investment Attraction Plan and fostering connections with EU investors and financial institutions. Looking forward with hope to the reactivation of the EU Desk to further facilitate EU investment."
The Directorate of Industry, Tourism, and Creative Economy at Bappenas reported the integration of the Blue Economy Index, developed with ARISE+ Indonesia's support, into Indonesia's national medium-term development planning document (RPJMN). This index serves as a key tool to monitor the Blue Economy's performance at national and regional levels.
Harry Putranto, Policy Planner at the Directorate General of International Trade Negotiations, Ministry of Trade, credited ARISE+ Indonesia for the notable improvement in the skills and capabilities of trade negotiators and analysts.
Fuji Anrina and Christianto Tonggo, trade analysts from the Directorate of Trade Defense, along with Akmal Musaddad, trade investogator from the Indonesia Anti-Dumping Committee (KADI) at the Ministry of Trade expressed appreciation for ARISE+ Indonesia's capacity-building program and its practical tools, which greatly improved the proficiency of trade investigators and analysts in trade remedy practices.
Donny Adityawarman from the Directorate of Standardization and Quality Control at the Ministry of Trade expressed gratitude, saying, "Deeply thankful to ARISE+ Indonesia for enhancing our capacities in standardization, testing, and analysis, key to improving Indonesia's Export Quality Infrastructure and National Quality Assurance."
As ARISE+ Indonesia concludes its journey, it leaves a legacy of enhanced capacities in various sectors, which will strengthen EU-Indonesia trade and investment cooperation in the years to come.
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