Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia through the Trade Ministry provides training on export-import procedures for Afghan businessmen on May 7-9, 2018.

Director General of National Export Development of the Ministry of Trade, Arlinda, hopes that the training will contribute to improving the trade relations and trade balance of Indonesia-Afghanistan in the future.

"The training encourages Afghan entrepreneurs to partner with Indonesian businessmen, which focuses on improving Indonesia-Afghanistan trade balance through export and import activities," Arlinda said in a written statement received on Monday.

In addition, continued Arlinda, the training also provides knowledge about international trade to Afghan businessmen. Indonesian Export and Export Training Center (PPEI), Directorate General of National Export Development, provided this training as a capacity building program.

A total of 30 participants took part in the training, consisting of Afghan businessmen who wanted to conduct import-export activities with Indonesia, as well as officials of Afghan government agencies. This export-import training is also one of Indonesia`s ways of increasing export to non-traditional export destination countries.

The import-export training in Afghanistan is a follow-up to bilateral visit of President Joko Widodo to Afghanistan in January 2018 to enhance economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. The training is also a form of Indonesian support in the effort to bring peace to the people of Afghanistan.

The value of Indonesian exports to Afghanistan in 2017 amounted to 20.2 million US dollars, an increase of 24.69 percent compared to 2016 which amounted to 16.2 million US dollars. Meanwhile, import value in 2017 was recorded at 29 thousand US dollars, or down 6.45 percent compared to 2016 which amounted to 31 thousand US dollars.

(T.A014/B/KR-BSR/B/H-YH)

Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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