TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo stated that the government will fight any lawsuits against Indonesia's raw material export ban.

"Don't drag us to the WTO just because we stopped sending raw materials. We will fight it whatever it takes," said the President in the Kompas100 CEO Forum on Thursday, November 18, 2021, as reported by Antaranews.

The President said that during the G20 summit in Rome that was held in late October 2021, many world leaders were making notions toward Indonesia's ban on the export of nickel ore, which was made effective from January 2, 2020.

The export ban is overseen by the Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Ministry No.11/2019 on mineral and coal mining.

Jokowi said that during the G20 summit, he had explained to state leaders the export ban is meant to develop the downstream sector and industrialization of Indonesia's raw material production. Jokowi insisted that Indonesia will be able to provide new jobs through the development of the downstream sector.

"If I let nickel and raw materials be [exported] from Indonesia to European countries and other countries, it would give them more job openings and leave us with nothing," said the President.

However, Jokowi assured the forum that Indonesia is open for partnerships with other countries through foreign investments or through the establishment of processing facilities in Indonesia.

Following the nickel ore export ban, Indonesia plans to restrict the exports of bauxite and copper raw materials following the recent construction of a copper smelter in Gresik in East Java.

ANTARA