Trade Minister Budi Santoso underscored the importance of high-quality research to support the development of effective and accountable trade policies.
At the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Trade and ERIA in Jakarta on Tuesday, Santoso stated that high-quality research will ensure a clear direction for trade policies.
"This joint agreement is an important step in improving the quality of Indonesia's trade policies and enhancing the capacity of human resources in the trade sector," he noted in a statement on Tuesday.
The minister urged the Trade Policy Agency (BK Perdag) to maximize the collaboration with ERIA to produce more relevant and high-quality research.
The research is expected to become the foundation for improving various trade policies and formulating new policies in the future.
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Santoso emphasized that in facing an increasingly complex global economic landscape, Indonesia requires trade policy that is data-driven, based on in-depth research, and adopts a comprehensive perspective.
He cited China as a country that has benefited from strong research, particularly in planning for the development of its agricultural sector through 2050.
The minister expressed hope that ERIA, as a credible and independent regional research institution, can continue to collaborate with BK Perdag to support the Ministry of Trade's priority programs through various activities.
Meanwhile, ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe highlighted his commitment to continuing to support the Ministry of Trade in formulating adaptive, innovative, and future-oriented trade policies.
He also expressed hope that the partnership between the Indonesian Ministry of Trade and ERIA would contribute to regional development.
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Translator: Maria Cicilia, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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