EU Ambassador: Maluku Province Has Huge Potential of Investment in Fisheries and Spices

Jakarta, MINA – The European Union Ambassador to Indonesia Vincent Piket said Maluku as one of the provinces in eastern Indonesia certainly has a lot of potential for investment and trade cooperation, such as in the fields of fisheries and spices.

“Maluku is by far the easternmost area in Indonesia that we have visited to promote business and cooperation between Indonesia and Europe,” he said at the IEU CEPA Virtual Roadshow to Maluku in Jakarta on Monday.

Moreover, currently there is an Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU CEPA) which can enhance cooperation between the two parties.

Prior to conducting this roadshow, delegates from Indonesia and the European Union had both seen an opportunity for a win-win solution for the IEU CEPA agreement. Through this forum, it is hoped that it will open the door for wider cooperation.

“We will look for various investment opportunities together, by meeting representatives in the European Union who will explain the standards and conditions that will facilitate the export of fish and spices from Maluku to the European Union market,” he said.

The series of roadshows to a number of major cities in Indonesia is a collaboration between the Ministry of Trade, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) with the European Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia (EuroCham) which aims to promote trade and investment.

Vincent added that currently, Indonesia is not yet the European Union’s largest trading partner in ASEAN. Only 11 percent of EU trade cooperation entered Indonesia, or lost to other countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

“Actually, the potential for investment and trade relations is even better that we have not maximized today. We hope that this agreement we can optimize the potential that Indonesia has for a better cooperative relationship,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the Governor of Maluku, Murad Ismail invited investors in the European Union to invest. Currently, the provincial government, assisted by the central government, continues to strive to provide the infrastructure needed to support investors.

“I invite investors and businesses in the European Union to come to Maluku to invest. We are ready to serve potential investors according to applicable regulations. We will not hinder investors who want to invest here,” he said. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)