The Chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly, Bambang Soesatyo, supports the Indonesia-Turkey Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IT-CEPA) to be completed in 2021.

As a follow-up to President Jokowi's meeting with President Erdogan in July 2017 in Turkey, in increasing trade between Indonesia and Turkey to reach USD 10 billion by 2023.

"Until September 2020, the trade value between Indonesia and Turkey reached around USD 958,400. Previously, in 2019, the value of trade between the two countries reached USD 1.6 billion. Since 2015, Indonesia has always enjoyed a trade surplus. In 2019, the surplus even reached USD 1 billion or around IDR 15 trillion. Through IT-CEPA, with one of the important points of eliminating import duties for exports and imports of several commodities from the two countries, it is hoped that Indonesia's surplus will increase, "said Bamsoet after receiving the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Turkey, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, in Jakarta, Thursday ( 29-04-2021).

The chairman of the 20th DPR RI explained, through IT-CEPA, Indonesia will remain a strategic partner for Turkey in reaching the ASEAN market which has a population market of 625 million people or 8.8 percent of the world's population. On the other hand, Indonesia also continues to make Turkey a key country in reaching the Middle East and European markets.

"Indonesia's leading exports to Turkey include products made from natural rubber, animal and vegetable oils, handmade textile fibers, handmade ribbons, textile fibers, rubber and rubber products. Meanwhile, Turkey's main exports to Indonesia include products made from iron and non-alloy steel, tobacco and tobacco products, organic chemical products, carpets, textile fibers and their products, as well as cereals and cereal products, ”explained Bamsoet.

The head of the FKPPI State Defense Agency also highlighted the progress in handling the Covid-19 pandemic carried out by the Turkish government. Until mid-April 2021, from an estimated 83.6 million population, Turkey has injected more than 20 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine into its citizens.

The number of residents who have received the first dose reaches 12 million, including President Erdogan, who was injected with the Sinovac vaccine on January 15, 2021.

"Worldometers data records that as of April 28, 2021, the number of Turkish citizens affected by Covid-19 has reached around 4.7 million, the 6th highest in the world after the United States, India, Brazil, France and Russia," highlighted Bamsoet.

The Deputy Chairperson of the Pancasila Youth added that on April 16, 2021, daily cases in Turkey reached their peak, around 63 thousand residents were affected by Covid-19.

To break the chain of the spread of Covid-19, about two weeks ago the Turkish government imposed a curfew from 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. From April 29 to May 17, 2021, this will be increased by implementing a lockdown.

"Just like Indonesia and other countries in the world, Turkey is still at war to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus. As friends, we hope that Turkey can get out of the Covid-19 pandemic soon, as well as Indonesia. So that people to people contact through travel and education between the residents of the two countries can stretch again, "concluded Bamsoet.