Seychelles and Indonesia embark on partnership for SMEs Development

Monday, 21 September 2012

Being two island nations Seychelles and Indonesia can work closely together to foster a new era of prosperity across to connect the continents of AFRICA and ASEAN.
One of the foremost link in thriving economic cooperation between AFRICA and ASEAN in the entrepreneurial spirit of Small Medium Enterprise, which is believe to offer sustainable growth of international business and foreign direct investment as alternative to multinationals.
Seychelles Special Envoy for ASEAN, Nico Barito together with Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs of Indonesia, Syarifudin Hasan hosted a breakfast meeting on Friday, September 21, 2012 at Borobudur Hotel, Jakarta to socialize the joint initiative to launch the gateway for small medium business endeavours  “FORSEAA” Forum of Small Medium Enterprise AFRICA ASEAN
The breakfast meeting was attended by Mr. Alex Retraubun, Vice Minister of Industry of Indonesia, Ambassadors and Representatives of African countries in Jakarta and ASEAN Mission, and senior officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia.
Mr.Barito during his opening remarks stated that being a niche eco-tourism destination, Seychelles relies very much on products from Indonesia especially to compliments its hospitality.  Despite Seychelles being small in size, there exist unrivalled opportunities for businesses to select Seychelles profound international business and financial services.  The existing double taxation treaty with Indonesia, and the Seychelles international free trade zone and the good relationship with European will make Seychelles a competitive hub for Indonesia and ASEAN businesses to enter AFRICA and Europe.  Furthermore, Seychelles and its active role in African Union and Indian Ocean Commission, will also invite more friends for AFRICA to reciprocally utilize Indonesia as its hub for ASEAN businesses.
Minister Syarifudin Hasan, reaffirm that Indonesia has made its presence in ASEAN and it has been his strong intention to realize strategic partnership between the small medium business stake holders of Indonesia with the SMEs of Seychelles. Indonesian understood that Seychelles are visited by tourist from all over the world and the presence of Indonesia SMEs in collaboration with Seychelles SMEs will create a new innovation of wide range of products to attract the exclusive tourism network from various part of the world. Indonesia is looking for expanded advantage to work with Seychelles and Africa as a whole with its over 1 billion people in one big market. Mr.Syarifudin mentioned that the SME sector contributes to 60 percent of the national economic of Indonesia, and that SME always survive any down turn economy situation. Further, Indonesia will be delighted to share its skill and experience in the multi discipline of SME from informal sector, micro business, small business to small medium business development to friends from Seychelles and Africa, which include the technicalities, design, brand image and financing.
The Dean of Diplomatic Corps of Indonesia, Ambassador Alice Mageza of Zimbabwe applaud the initiative and reiterate the full support of all African mission in Indonesia to the brilliant initiative to launch the new Forum of Small Medium Enterprise AFRICA ASEAN. Other African Ambassadors and Representative present in the breakfast meeting are from Sudan, Tunisia, Somalia, Syria, Libya, Nigeria, Guinea, Burkina Faso, South Africa.
Ambassador Ngurah Swajaya, Indonesian Permanent Representative to ASEAN added that the mission of FORSEAA will help more ASEAN countries to expand to Africa, while Director General for Small Medium Industry of The Ministry of Industry, Mrs.Euis Saedah also complements FORSEAA and wish to include one of the niche yearly program Indonesian Fashion Week to incorporate Indonesia – Seychelles Fashion Week to be carried out in Seychelles.
In closing the Vice Minister of Industry of Indonesia highly commend the initiative of Ministry of Cooperative of Indonesia and the Government of Seychelles to establish such productive forum.
All participants from AFRICA and ASEAN mission are looking forward to the realization of FORSEAA at the earliest convenience and looking forward to its first conference in Seychelles or Indonesia before the end of 2012.