AIBC News: Issue Number 198


11th April 2024

Dear AIBC Members and Friends,

AIBC was delighted with the timing and success of the visit in June this year by Australian Prime Minister Hon Anthony Albanese, signalling the importance of Indonesia to Australia, particularly from a trade and investment perspective.

On the back of the Prime Minister’s visit to Indonesia, AIBC is seeing renewed interest in strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties with Indonesia - including through the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA).

This has been a “gamechanger” in improving access to our respective markets, creating new opportunities for partnership across a range of industry sectors.

AIBC has been actively engaging with industry to promote these opportunities.

This year, we were delighted to partner with DFAT in staging the National Indonesia Series “Indonesia it’s time to take a fresh look” – focussing on priority industry sectors where there is strong alignment between Indonesian economic priorities and Australian industry capability - as highlighted in the Blueprint for Trade and Investment in Indonesia, including:

  • Health and aged care
  • Education, Skills and Training
  • Resources and Energy
  • Digital Transformation
  • Agribusiness and Food
  • The Blue Economy

Overall, the series saw over 1000 participants attend in person and virtually from across Australia and Indonesia, with events held in capital cities across the country.

The series attracted a broad range of Australian companies interested in either exploring or expanding their operations in Indonesia - from energy and resources, agribusiness and food, education and training through to the health sector. This included case studies showcasing large corporates as well as niche start-ups who are now operating successfully in Indonesia
Thank you again to our major partner, DFAT, for its contribution in making the series such a success. 

As Indonesia hosts the G20 and B20, AIBC was also delighted to partner in a series of B20 Business Forums held across the country, featuring a major B20 trade and investment delegation from Indonesia.  The Business Forums provided the opportunity for dialogue on practical ways we can collaborate, and to build those relationships which are so important to strengthening B2B connections.

B20 Forum

 

As a member of Chief Executive Women, I was also delighted to be a part of the Indonesia Australia Dialogue on Women’s Leadership in Trade and Investment, which brought together senior business women from Australia and Indonesia.  Discussions were held around opportunities offered by trade agreements and the upcoming G20, B20 and G20 EMPOWER events for improving relations between our countries. Our sincere thanks to our partners in the event - Katalis, Investing in Women and IBCWE, and to the CEW members who contributed their insights and expertise.

In our next major initiative, we are pleased to announce that the AIBC will be holding its National Conference in Darwin from 2-4 November 2022, with the theme “Partnering for Growth – Stronger, Together”.

As both countries emerge from the pandemic, this is the first conference of its kind since the entry into force of the IA-CEPA in July 2020.

The Northern Territory has a long history of trade relations with Indonesia and so we are delighted that the Northern Territory Government has agreed to sponsor the conference as hosting partner.

This year’s conference will focus on building strategic partnerships across priority industry sectors for Australia and Indonesia, including healthcare; education and training; food and agriculture; infrastructure and advanced manufacturing, creative industries, and the energy transition.

The conference will bring together senior government and industry leaders to discuss practical ways our businesses can work together to unlock the trade and investment opportunities between our countries.  For more information click here.

We look forward to you joining us at the National Conference.

To continue reading the newsletter, please click here.

 

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