Indonesian garment companies and South African micro, small and medium enterprises (UMKM) are working together to establish a partnership company, Pan Africa, which is engaged in textiles.
"Establishing a factory by involving local resources and wisdom like this is the most tangible form of bilateral cooperation. Today we are witnessing a form of concern between two friendly countries in difficult times," said the Indonesian Ambassador to South Africa Salman Al Farisi.
"With an emphasis on the aspects of empowering small businesses and women, this kind of partnership model in my opinion can be worked on in non-traditional markets in the African region," said Ambassador Salman when inaugurating the operation of the Indonesia-South Africa partnership company, Pan Africa, in the heart of the business district. and Johannesburg commerce.
Pan Africa is a joint venture between Indonesia's leading garment company, Pan Brother, Tbk and South African MSMEs, Faithfulness.
Ambassador Salman Al Farisi greatly appreciated the establishment of Pan Africa which he called an ideal form of mutually beneficial partnership. During the inauguration ceremony of Pan Africa, Ambassador Salman was accompanied by the Head of the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) in Johannesburg, Anggun Paramita Mahdi, and the Director of Faithfulness, Selina Siganga.
In its later operations, Pan Africa will import semi-finished personal protective equipment (PPE) garments from Indonesia and then complete processing at a factory in Johannesburg.
Head of Johannesburg ITPC, Anggun Paramita Mahdi, believes that the successful establishment of the partnership company can set a precedent and pilot project for other Indonesian products, especially PPE, to enter and be accepted by the South African market.
Meanwhile, Deputy Managing Director of Pan Brothers Indonesia, Anne Patricia Sutanto, in her online remarks expressed her gratitude for the assistance and support of the Indonesian Embassy in Pretoria and ITPC Johannesburg in the initial process of establishing Pan Africa which was carried out remotely.
Anne expressed the same hope that the opening of this factory would be the beginning of greater cooperation in the future.
The inauguration of the Pan Africa operation was a positive achievement by the Indonesian representatives in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Indonesian Embassy in Pretoria is committed to continuing to be optimistic in carrying out Indonesia's economic diplomacy, including in facilitating business relations between Indonesia and South Africa.
This year, the Indonesian Embassy in Pretoria will also continue to push for new and profitable agreements between Indonesia and South Africa, from visa-free agreements to socio-cultural diplomacy.
