Many friends here are interested, especially from the IT and digital businesses."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Rizal Ramli showcased several business opportunities in the maritime sector for a visiting delegation of the U.S.-ASEAN (Association for Southeast Asian Nations) Business Council members from 27 companies on Thursday.

After meeting with the U.S. business delegation, Rizal said it was a follow up of the visit of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to the United States two weeks ago.

"They wish to learn more on what has been done, (and) whether the business climate in Indonesia has been better. They are very interested in trade, investment and industry in Indonesia," he said.

Rizal, who was the Chief Economic Minister during the government of the late president Abdurrahman Wahid, explained the efforts that have been made by the government to improve the investment climate, including cutting licensing procedures in a number of sectors and the six economic policy packages that have been issued recently.

"As an example, I said it now only takes three days instead of more than six months, for an investor who wishes to enter an industrial zone," he stated.

At the meeting, he also pointed out the number of business opportunities in the sectors under his coordination, including the maritime, tourism and energy sectors.

He said tourism has now become an important sector considering it can create more employment and produce a big foreign exchange.

"Many friends here are interested, especially from the IT and digital businesses," he said.

The Chief of the USABC delegation, Alexander C Feldman, said he appreciated the reform policies that have been adopted by the Indonesian government.

He hoped U.S. businessmen would understand the changes that have been made in the regulations and that more American businessmen are attracted to do business in Indonesia.

"We came to Indonesia to invest and to do business with Indonesian companies," he said.

Business executives from 27 U.S. companies operating in various sectors attended the meeting, including Freeport, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Qualcomm International and Timer Warner.

At the meeting, they also gave inputs and discussed the obstacles they have faced in investing in Indonesia so far.

(Reporting by Ade Irma Junida /Uu.H-YH/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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