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Aidoghie Paulinus, Jakarta
The Indonesia Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Usra Hendra Harahap, has disclosed that the volume of trade between Indonesia, Nigeria and 13 other African countries, has reached $1 billion.
Harahap spoke in Jakarta, Indonesia, after receiving the Primaduta Award (award for highest trade transaction) during the 34th Trade Expo Indonesia held at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE), Jakarta.
Other envoys who received similar awards where Indonesian ambassadors to Manila, Philippines; Seoul, South Korea; Hong Kong, China; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Lima, Peru.
President of Indonesia Joko Widodo, represented by the Indonesian Vice President, Jusuf Kalla, conferred the Primaduta Award on Harahap as a result of the increase in trade relations between Indonesia and Nigeria and the 13 African countries under the supervision of Harahap.
Ambassador Harahap, who kick-started his tour of duty of Nigeria in April 2019, has concurrent accreditation to Ghana, Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Niger, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe, Chad, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
An elated Harahap said the award was the outcome of the efforts of the staff of the Indonesian Embassy, Abuja, and the collaboration with the accredited countries.
He said it was a move in the right direction as the award will motivate his team and the friends of the mission to improve in all their engagements.
Harahap further said with the award, efforts will be geared towards encouraging all the partners of Indonesia in getting better and higher in their relations.
While admitting that it was not easy managing relations with the various countries, including ECOWAS, Ambassador Harahap said it offers a good potential for Indonesia and the African countries to improve their trade relations.
On the volume of trade, Ambassador Harahap said: “It is quite a lot. We have got a billion dollar, something like that.
“That is why I will work hard in all my accredited countries to improve our trade both at bilateral and multilateral trade.”
While adding that he was not sure of the exact figures, Amb. Harahap, did say the figures were quite high, explaining that the trade touched on agriculture, timber processing such as furniture, oil, among other areas.
Also speaking, the Indonesian Minister of state-owned enterprises, Mrs Rini Soemarno, said the trade expo was organised to promote Indonesia products.
Speaking with Daily Sun at the exhibition site, Soemarno said: “I am promoting all. These are all Indonesian products and we can export. And a lot of them, most importantly, we have the small-medium enterprises to be able to promote their products overseas. Hopefully, people from Nigeria will buy some.”
