Ambassador Hery Saripudin Encourages National SMEs to Explore Export Opportunities to Africa

Jakarta, MINA – The Indonesian Ambassador to Kenya, Mohamad Hery Saripudin encouraged Indonesian micro and medium enterprises (SMEs) to explore export opportunities to Africa, especially to East African countries in his accredited areas, because of the huge potential that can be obtained from trade cooperation.

Hery said that on October 6, 2021, the Indonesian Embassy in Nairobi had established the Indonesian Soko la (Home Products) exhibition at the Indonesian Embassy in Nairobi which accommodated more than 2,500 samples of Indonesian products on display to potential importers in Kenya.

“On this occasion, through MINA News, we also appeal to or invite SMEs in Indonesia, please, if you want their products ready for export, they want the Indonesian Embassy to help market them in Kenya, we are open to accepting. Of course we can’t fund to help with shipping costs, if Indonesian exporters want to send their goods to the Indonesian Embassy in Nairobi, we are very open,” said Hery during an exclusive interview with MINA News Agency team virtually on Tuesday.

He conveyed that by exhibiting examples of national SME products, from September 2021 until now, many visitors from potential Kenyan importers were present at this exhibition, until some had made their first export.

“So we are only facilitating, then if there is interest from the Kenyan side, we will connect directly, then negotiate between themselves, we only monitor and get reports from the Indonesian businessman who asked for our help,” said the Ambassador.

Indonesia’s ‘Soko la’ product house, which contains thousands of samples of Indonesian products to be exhibited to potential importers. (Photo: Indonesian Embassy in Nairobi)

He added that the exhibition, which was permanently established, was part of efforts to increase economic diplomacy aimed at supporting the recovery of the national economy hit by the pandemic.

Kenya’s diplomatic relations with Indonesia have been established since 1979. To this day, these relations continue to be strengthened in various sectors, either through economic, educational, social, cultural diplomacy and people-to-people contact as reflected in the opening of the Kenyan Embassy in Jakarta recently.

In 2021, the trade value of Indonesia and Kenya for the first time in history exceeded the $500 US million mark with a surplus on the Indonesian side of more than 95 percent. This figure is an increase of more than 35 percent from the figure in 2020, whose upward trend has been seen since 2016.

Hery also encouraged the strengthening of educational diplomacy, both formal and informal because according to him, educational cooperation is one of the entrances for strengthening relations between the people of the two countries, which can also strengthen economic relations. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)