"We also wanted (Dufry) to not only partner up with Indonesia, but also guarantee the market for 10 Indonesian products, otherwise we would not have established the partnership,” Minister of State Owned Enterprises, Erick Thohir, remarked at an online talk show in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The minister is currently in Switzerland and has held negotiations with Dufry, a sizeable company that owns duty-free outlets in nearly 200 countries, as part of efforts to shore up MSMEs.
“So, we will open the access to Indonesia, but we will also inquire for access to foreign countries," he explained.
According to its official website, Dufry is a global travel retail company operating around 2,400 outlets and duty-free stores in over 420 locations across several countries.
Minister Thohir had earlier said that he was working to expand access for MSME players to help build a healthier business ecosystem.
The Ministry of SOEs and the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs are ensuring that funding for ultra-micro and MSMEs is guaranteed and that efforts to open up greater access for MSMEs are continuously carried out, he stated.
For instance, an MSME Digital Market (PaDi) program has been launched, with the SOE Ministry issuing a regulation that bars SOEs from participating in tenders for projects valued between Rp250 million and Rp14 billion, he informed.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of SOEs has demonstrated its commitment to support national economic growth, Thohir said adding that strategic projects in SOEs are still being carried out. (INE)
Related news: MSMEs contributing 61.7% to GDP: BKPM
Related news: Jokowi administration offered incentives, facilities to MSMEs
EDITED BY INE
Translator: Aji Cakti/Aria Cindyara
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
