Indonesia Embassy Launches Hybrid Exhibition to Promote Trade, Investment in Kenya

Nairobi, MINA – Indonesia has moved to promote trade and investment in Kenya, launching an exhibition dubbed the Hybrid Trade Showcase 2021.

The initiative by the Indonesian Embassy and Kareem International, an Indonesian export aggregator company, aims at promoting Indonesian products to businesses in Kenya and other African countries.

The virtual launch was graced by high-ranking officials from Kenya and Indonesia, among them Trade PS Ambassador Johnson Weru, Indonesia’s Tourism and Creative Economy minister Sandiaga Uno, West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi Ansharullah, Ambassador Yusra Khan, and Indonesian Ambassador to Kenya Dr Mohamad Hery Saripudin.

Minister Uno, expressed his enthusiasm for collaborating with stakeholders, including with the Indonesian Embassy, restore the economic sector by exploring and developing trade cooperation opportunities.

He said the market in the African region is vast and promising.

“With this event, hopefully, it can help Indonesian MSMEs to expand their trade to the up-and-coming African region,” he said.

PS Weru welcomed the initiative, saying it offers the “much-needed effort to boost trade between the two countries”.

“We hope that many Kenyan entrepreneurs will find trusted partners from Indonesia in various business fields in the future.” Weru said.

Kenya imports from Indonesia were $588.86 million, while exports to were $8.09 million in 2020, according to the United Nations Comtrade database on international trade.

The value of Indonesia’s exports to Kenya grew from about $2.6 billion to an estimated $3.8 billion between 2019 and 2020, while the value of Kenya’s exports to Indonesia over the same period rose from $25.2 million to $26.7 million.

Ambassador Hery said his mission is committed to continuing efforts to increase bilateral trade value.

“Accordingly, we routinely facilitate business inquiries and connect entrepreneurs from both countries,” he said, noting that the commitment of the Indonesian Embassy in Nairobi is to promote trade cooperation between Indonesia and Kenya.

“Although the current challenges are enormous, this condition also creates many new opportunities. Therefore, to overcome the challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Indonesian Embassy in Nairobi welcomes the initiative by Kareem International to collaborate in organizing this event,” he added.

The mission said the Hybrid Trade Showcase 2021 concept combines the experience of virtual and physical meetings that product samples are sent for display at the Indonesian Embassy in Nairobi.

“Not only do we do business matching virtually, potential partners can also ‘taste, touch and even smell the scent’ of the products, displayed at the Embassy,” Ambassador Yusra said.

“With this event, we hope that Kenyan businesses can experience the products of Indonesia for which samples are showcased at the ‘Soko la Indonesia’ of the Indonesian Embassy, and they will also be facilitated to directly ‘meet’ and discuss with the owners of the products in Indonesia virtually,” Ambassador Hery added

Hery said he hopes entrepreneurs in Indonesia will participate and take advantage of the opportunity to develop business networks in Africa, particularly Kenya, as the gateway to enter the East African region.

“Until next October, all the samples from more than 75 participants will be exhibited at the “Indonesian Products House” or “Soko la Indonesia” at the Indonesian Embassy,” the statement by Indonesia embassy said.

The embassy and Kareem International will also facilitate online business matching activities for entrepreneurs from the two countries during the exhibition period.(R/R1/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)