The National Export Enhancement Task Force has designated 12 priority countries for Indonesian exports to maintain Indonesia's trade balance amidst global economic turbulence. Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Susiwijono Moegiarso, revealed the 12 priority export destinations as Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Brazil, Chile, China, the Philippines, India, Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, the UAE, and Vietnam. The Task Force also identified several priority export products including fish and fishery products, bird's nests, coconuts and coconut-based products, coffee and processed spices, vegetable oils and margarine, cocoa, processed foods, oil cake and animal feed, cement, chemical products, rubber and rubber-based products, leather and leather-based products, pulp and paper, textiles and footwear, precious metals and jewelry, machinery, electronics, automotive, furniture, and toys. In addition to optimizing these targeted market potentials, the Task Force is also focused on expanding market access by facilitating the completion of negotiations, particularly the Indonesia-EU Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), exploring Indonesia's potential entry into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and Indonesia's accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Considering Japan and the UK's recession, the government is closely monitoring the global economic slowdown's impact on the national economy, particularly regarding Japan. Indonesia maintains good cooperation with Japan in investment and trade. Japan is a major export destination for Indonesia, with main commodities including coal, electronic components, nickel, and automotive. In 2023, Indonesia's exports to Japan ranked 4th with a total of USD 18.8 billion, while Japanese Foreign Direct Investment in Indonesia also ranked 4th in 2023, totaling USD 4.63 billion. Susiwijono emphasized that this is a concern for the government, particularly the National Export Enhancement Task Force, which is currently formulating action plans ranging from quick wins to long-term strategies to address these issues.
