President Jokowi Tells Indonesian Ambassadors to Strengthen Economic Diplomacy

President Jokowi takes a group photo with the participants of the work meeting in front of the State Palace, Jakarta. Thursday (9/1). (Photo by: Agung/PR).

In a bid to strengthen the national economic diplomacy, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has ordered the Indonesian ambassadors to also act as an investment ambassador.

“However, we must know what investments we need,” President Jokowi said in his remarks at the Work Meeting of the Republic of Indonesia’s Chief Representative with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Thursday (9/1).

As investment ambassadors, the President continued, the ambassadors must know several products, such as LPG and petrochemicals that are still be imported, so that they can bring investments related to imported substitute goods, such as petrochemicals with methanol and LPGs with coal which can be manufactured into dimethyl ether to replace the imported LPG.

“We are building this strategy and we will design the implementation process so that our country does not depend on other countries,” President Jokowi said.

According to him, since Indonesian palm oil banned in Europe, the palm oil would be better used and processed by ourselves. He cited an example that if the country could develop biodiesel B50—which mixes diesel with 50 percent of biodiesel—Indonesia’s bargaining position would rise.

Furthermore, if the country’s current account is positive, it means Indonesia’s economy will no longer depend on other countries. “That is our target in the next 3-4 years,” the President added.  (TGH/AGG/ES)

Translated by: Galuh Wicaksono
Reviewed by: Yuyu Mulyani