Bilateral trade between Indonesia and Namibia up in 2023: Pratignyo

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WINDHOEK: Namibia and Indonesia’s economic bilateral trade increased by 26 per cent in 2023, Indonesia’s Ambassador to Namibia, Wisnu Edi Pratignyo has said.

Pratignyo during a reception to celebrate Indonesia’s 79th independence anniversary here on Wednesday, said Indonesia has been participating in the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair since 2002 and has facilitated trips for members of the Namibian business community to visit Indonesia’s biggest annual trade expo in 2023.

Indonesia turned 79 on 17 August 2024.

The ambassador said the embassy will do the same this year by helping Namibian businesses to participate in the 39th trade expo in Jakarta from 09 to 12 October.

‘In development cooperation, Indonesia is taking the path of becoming a robust partner of providing effective South-to-South cooperation in the form of technical cooperation and development trade,’ he said.

He further noted that Indonesia has provided technical support to Namibia in the fishery and agricultural sectors, noting that Namibia pa
rticipated in six capacity-building programmes between 2011 and 2019, and in an international fisheries event for African countries in Bali in September 2024.

Pratignyo further highlighted that the embassy facilitated the provision of development grants worth of N.dollars 5.3 million in the form of training for 19 instructors from the Namibian Maritime and Fisheries Institute in November 2023.

‘It is my firm belief that through our collaborative efforts, we have successfully addressed some pressing issues and fostered dialogue and understanding. Our commitment to diplomacy allowed us to navigate challenges and work towards sustainable solutions and benefit our nations and people,’ he said.

In a speech read on his behalf, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Peya Mushelenga said trade between the two countries has steadily increased since 2019 with a total trade volume reaching more than N.dollars 190 million in 2023, representing a 26 per cent increase from the previous year.

‘Over the yea
rs Namibia made use of many opportunities to learn from Indonesia, especially in the fields of agriculture, fisheries and human resource development,’ he said.

Mushelenga noted that Namibia was one of the African countries that participated in the second Indonesia-Africa Forum in September 2024 in Bali aimed at highlighting shared values and principles, that will lay a strong foundation for robust inclusiveness in quality and sustained relations between Indonesia and Africa.

Source: The Namibia News Agency