Nur Evi Rahmawati, the First Secretary of the Indonesian Embassy in Economic Affairs in The Hague told Antara London on Thursday that the program began with a business conference opened by Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands I Gusti A. Wesaka Puja along with Mayor of Middelburg. HA. Bergmann, and Deputy Governor of Zeeland, J.A. de Bat, in early November.
Chairman of the KADIN Indonesia Regional Investment Compartment Reza Maspaitella explained about the development of the Indonesian economy and possible cooperation with partners in Zeeland.
In his remarks, the Ambassador expressed his hope that relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands, especially with Middelburg, could continue to build bridges of cooperation in various fields that could yield benefits for both parties.
"Indonesia and the Netherlands have shared history in the past, including the Middelburg region, but I want all of us to jointly develop a vision of intensive cooperation in the future," the Ambassador said.
It is hoped that the visit of the Indonesian economic delegation will further enhance cooperation between the two countries, including with Middelburg.
Meanwhile the Mayor of Middelburg emphasized the importance of Indonesia for Middelburg and the Netherlands in general and hoped that the two regions could continue to take advantage of the potential offered by the two regions. In particular, Mayor Bergmann expressed interest in Middelburg to establish cooperation in the fields of water management, agriculture and fisheries.
Middelburg and Zeeland in general have a large Indonesian descent community which become an important asset for further cooperation.
The Indonesian delegation also took part in a business-to-business meeting program providing an opportunity to open opportunities for exporting coffee, nutmeg, black pepper and cocoa to the Netherlands.
In the early stages, some Indonesian exporters, most of which are SMEs, will receive support for obtaining EU certification before sending the products to partners in the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, at the level of cooperation between local governments, the East Java delegation agreed to establish intensive cooperation in the framework of water and flood management in East Java, share information and knowledge related to fishing technology and explore further cooperation in the agricultural and plantation sectors.
The historical connection between Indonesia and Middelburg makes Middelburg one of the cities in the Netherlands and Europe that has an art auction hall that has the largest collection of paintings by prominent Indonesian painters such as Basuki Abdullah, Dulah, Affandi, S. Sudjojono, Lee Man Fong and others as well as Dutch painters with various works of Indonesian backgrounds, such as Willem Dooyewaard, Rudolf Bonnet and Willem Gerard Hofker.
Along with this business promotion program, the Ambassador together with the Mayor of Middelburg also had the opportunity to open an exhibition of paintings by prominent Indonesian painters such as Raden Saleh, Basuki Abdullah and Lee Man Fong and Dutch painters with various paintings about Indonesia, such as Arie Smit, Willem Dooyewaard, Hal Wichers, Rudolf Bonnet, Willem Gerard Hofker and others.
The exhibition took place at Zeeuws Veilinghuis or the art auction house in Middelburg.
The upcoming Zeeuws auction hall Veilinghuis will auction off paintings by the leading painters. Observers and art lovers in Europe, Asia and America are expected to be present in the action.
Reporting by Zeynita Gibbons
Editing by Eliswan
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
