"We sat together to discuss how Indonesia and Pakistan can work more closely,” Bakrie noted in a statement on Saturday.
He noted that Pakistan, being a significant Muslim nation, possesses strengths in defense, health, agriculture, and energy, making it essential to enhance cooperation in these sectors.
"The Pakistani ambassador said that in August, there will be trade missions and expos from Pakistan and Indonesia. I think these are good initiatives," Bakrie noted.
To facilitate these upcoming activities, Kadin plans to collaborate closely with its Pakistani counterpart to boost bilateral trade.
"These two countries are developing nations. Hence, it is not only to improve their respective economies but also trade. I think this is important because Indonesia is always looking for new market access, including Pakistan, which is one of the partners that we closely monitor,” he stated.
Bakrie emphasized that fostering economic cooperation with Pakistan benefits not only large businesses but also MSMEs.
Ambassador Ameer Khurram Rathore emphasized that Indonesia and Pakistan, as partner countries with strong religious and cultural ties, possess a favorable foundation for developing robust business and trade cooperation.
"We are looking at several sectors, as mentioned by the chairman of Kadin. We hope that with his leadership, we can develop better trade relations between the two countries,” Rathore noted.
According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia experienced a trade surplus with Pakistan in January-November 2024, with exports totaling US$3.04 billion against imports of US$529 million.
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Translator: Faisal Yunianto, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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