TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has called on heads of regional governments to help boost exports of superior products.

"We must continue to increase our export volume, provide facilities, and facilitate entrepreneurs to aggressively make the most of existing export opportunities," President Jokowi stated at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Wednesday.

The president made the statement while delivering an opening remark at the 2021 Autonomy Expo organized by the All-Indonesian District Government Association (Apkasi).

Attendees at the opening ceremony comprised Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, and several district heads that attended in person or via videoconferencing.

Jokowi urged the regional government heads to capitalize on the export opportunities and boost their local products for exports and to be competitive in global markets.

The president cited the latest data that the value of Indonesia's exports during the January-August 2021 period had reached US$142 billion, or up 37.7 percent year-on-year (yoy).

"This means our exports are growing very well, at 37.7 percent yoy. The regions can take advantage of this, as almost all countries need our commodities. Hence, lest the complicated licensing process hinders exports," Jokowi affirmed.

Indonesia's export market potential is still wide open, according to the president.

"Our trading partners have also started to recover. China grew 7.9 percent, the United States grew 12.2 percent, Japan grew 7.6 percent, and India even grew 20.1 percent. This opportunity should encourage us to push our products to enter those countries that I mentioned earlier," he noted.

President Jokowi also drew attention to the recent energy crisis in several countries in Europe and China. The crisis was unexpected, he remarked.

"However, we benefit from the rising commodity prices. I think regions with palm oil, coal, nickel, or copper are all happy, as the economy in commodity-producing areas will climb. God willing, it will climb," he affirmed.

During the 2021 Autonomy Expo, the president is optimistic that the regions would not only promote their products and tourist objects but also investment.

"However, (we should) also show that the investment climate in the regions is getting better, legal certainty is getting better, licensing is getting better, and the Online Single Submission (OSS) has also been going well. Such certainties are actually needed by the business circle," he emphasized.

Read: Indonesia Breaks Record for Exports Value with US$21.42bn in August: BPS

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