Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan reported that he had received a request from Kenya for Indonesia to open exports of a number of products, from textiles to palm oil. This request was immediately expressed when the Kenyan Government came to meet Coordinating Minister Luhut on Wednesday, September 13 2023. The meeting was held after Luhut tried out the Jakarta-Bandung Fast Train with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and inaugurated the Data Center project in Cikarang, Bekasi Regency.
"I just received cooperation with Kenya. Kenya's ministers came with several, 8-10 people. They followed up on cooperation with us," said Coordinating Minister Luhut at the Digi-Talk Fest at the Ritz Carlton Mega Kuningan Hotel, Jakarta, Wednesday ( 9/13/2023)
"This also concerns MSMEs, because they also ask for textiles, palm oil and other things to be exported to them, because they also have problems," he said.
Luhut was also open to offers from this African country. The reason is, he has received advice from Jokowi that the Indonesian government should not be selective in accepting invitations for bilateral cooperation.
"The President said, Mr. Luhut, yes, we have to be good to everyone. So we are very good with America, very good with China. Why are we looking for enemies? We have enough domestic problems," he said.
According to him, Indonesia's relations with Africa, which previously had never been touched, are now in a positive trend. Luhut views Africa as a potential export market when the European Union takes an anti-deforestation stance.
"Well, with Africa now it's good. I've been to Africa three times in 6 months, because it's a good market, so we don't depend on Europe. Our palm oil was banned, they retaliated against them because we banned the export of nickel ore raw materials "Yes, let's just divert it to Africa," he said.
"Africa needs it, and I think we are a country that cannot be dictated to by anyone at this time," stressed Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
