TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The 60^th Asia-Africa Conference (AAC) will potentially attract new investors, including African mineral processing companies. Azhar Lubis, the deputy chairman of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) said Indonesia has yet seen many investors from Africa.

“The cooperation with Africa can be realized with two-way communication. They come to our country and we have to visit them. I think we need to develop the context of people-to-people and business-to-business,” Azhar said on the sideline of Senior Ministers Meeting at the AAC on Sunday, April 19, 2015.

Data from the BKPM revealed that the foreign direct investment from Africa in 2013 stood at US$801.7 million and declined to US$664 million in 2014. Mauritius had been the largest investor with US$1.05 billion investment in 2012, US$780 million in 2013 and US$540.7 million in 2014.

Azhar saw that South Africa would be a potential investor in the mineral processing sector. Therefore, the BKPM has planned to invite South African investors to develop mineral downstream industry in Indonesia.

“South Africa has a large mineral company, namely Sasol Limited,” Azhar revealed.

Sasol limited is an energy company based in Johannesburg, South Africa, that produces and sells oil and gas products to 38 countries, including Qatar, Uzbekistan and Mozambique.

To improve economic ties between Asian and African Countries, the BKPM suggested the Asia-Africa Business Forum to hold a meeting once in two years to discuss investment potential in the two regions.

BISNIS.COM