Jakarta (ANTARA News) - US businessmen grouped in the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) have praised the Indonesian government for its commitment to improve investment climate.

USABC President & CEO Alexander C. Feldman is leading a 70-strong US business mission in Indonesia, the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) said in a press statement released on Wednesday.

These US businessmen are engaged in sectors such as information technology, oil and gas, food and beverage, manufacturing and financial sectors.

"We see the Indonesian governments seriousness in reforming policies to create a more conducive investment climate. This has shored up our confidence to increase our investment in Indonesia," Feldman said while visiting the BKPM office here on Tuesday.

Feldman added that he was aware of the Indonesian governments commitment to create more job opportunities as part of the efforts to achieve the target of two million jobs every year.

"We have committed ourselves to assist the Indonesian government in realizing this goal. Many US businesspeople have expressed their interest in expanding their investment in Indonesia, including in the eastern part of the country," he said.

The US is one of the main investors in Indonesia, with its investment growing 23 percent annually in the past five years.

The US investment accounts for six percent of the total foreign investment in Indonesia.

The top five sectors receiving US investment are mining with a value of US$7.2 billion, trade/reparation US$258 million, food industry US$167 million, transportation means industry US$ 142 million, and chemical/pharmaceutical industry US$56 million.

BKPM Deputy Chief for Investment Climate Development Farah Ratnadewi Indriani said the BKPM, through its Investment Promotion Center (IIPC) in New York and its Marketing Officers (MO) team, is ready to help US investors realize their investment in Indonesia.

"We hope that through such meetings, we can obtain inputs from businessmen to improve the Indonesian investment climate, and make it increasingly conducive," he said. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015