UPCOMING EVENT: Indonesia-Belgium Business Forum “Unlocking Trade and Investment Potential: Forging a Sustainable Future in Indonesia-Belgium Business Relations”
The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Brussels, Belgium, accredited to Luxembourg and the European Union and the European Institute for Asian Studies (EIAS) have the pleasure of inviting you to the “Indonesia ‒ Belgium Business Forum: Unlocking Trade and Investment Potential: Forging a Sustainable Future in Indonesia-Belgium Business Relations”, which will be held on Tuesday, 24 September 2024 at the European Institute for Asian Studies, Rue de la Loi 26, 10th floor, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium.
BY INVITATION ONLY
INDONESIA – BELGIUM BUSINESS FORUM
Unlocking Trade and Investment Potential: Forging a Sustainable Future in
Indonesia-Belgium Business Relations
Brussels, 24 September 2024
Date: Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Time: 9:30 AM – 13:00 PM followed by a Networking Lunch and B2B Meetings
Venue: EIAS, Rue de la Loi 26, B-1040 Brussels
Indonesia and Belgium are celebrating their 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations this 2024. Belgium also held its Presidency of the European Union from January to June 2024. During its presidency, Belgium has prioritized pursuing a green and just energy transition and strengthening public health resilience, while it is among the leading investment partners in Indonesia from the European region. In 2023, the total value of Belgian investment in Indonesia was recorded at 98.9 million USD, realized in 498 projects. Most of the Belgian investment in Indonesia is in the plantation and livestock, food, and textile sectors.
In terms of trade, the total bilateral trade between 2020 and 2022 showed an auspicious future for Indonesia–Belgium economic relations. More specifically, it has reached a 62% increase from 1.75 billion USD in 2020 to 2.83 billion USD in 2022, surpassing the pre-pandemic level. Indonesia’s commodities, such as footwear, rubber, palm oil, furniture, coffee, iron, and steel, have supported the Belgian industry and its supply chain.
Therefore, in light of Indonesian and Belgian milestones, this Indonesia-Belgium Business Forum will be organised on 24 September 2024. The Forum’s aim is to explore and expand the potential for inbound and outbound trade between Indonesia and Belgium, supporting development efforts and achieving investment targets in various projects highlighting Indonesia’s efforts for energy transition efforts and downstream of critical minerals. The Forum reflects the collaborative efforts between Indonesia and Belgium to achieve sustainable development goals and foster green transition initiatives. It emphasises the shared commitment to environmental sustainability and highlights the potential for mutual benefit through bilateral trade and investment in green technologies, renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, and eco-friendly practices. The forum will serve as a platform for stakeholders from both countries to exchange ideas, explore opportunities, and forge partnerships that contribute to building a more sustainable and resilient future for generations to come.
The forum will bring together key stakeholders from both countries and the EU, including government officials, state-owned enterprises, business leaders and private companies. It will thereby provide a platform not only for exchanging information and ideas, but also for strengthening partnerships, expanding networks, exploring new opportunities and realizing tangible outcomes.
The session will provide an excellent opportunity for Belgian and European businesses to engage in informal interactions, discussions, and business matching with representatives from Indonesia. Businesses from Yogyakarta will thereby present their products and investment opportunities, highlighting the region’s dynamic economic landscape and potential for growth.
Business-to-business meetings will be available for focused discussions on key sectors and themes relevant to Indonesia-Belgium trade and investment. Please contact us for further information and meeting requests.
Programme
09:00 – 09:30 Registration and Welcome Refreshments
09:30 – 09:40 Introductory Speech by H.E. Andri Hadi, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the Kingdom of Belgium
09:40 – 09:50 Keynote Speech by Dr Jerry Sambuaga, Vice-Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia (TBC)
09:50 – 10:00 Keynote Speech by a Representative of the Belgian Government (TBC)
10:00 – 11:30 Sectoral Opportunities for Trade and Investment
Panel Discussion: Unlocking Trade and Investment Potential – Forging a Sustainable Future in Indonesia-Belgium Business Relations
Panelists:
- Critical Minerals Investment to Support Green Transition
Nurul Ichwan, Deputy Minister for Investment Promotion, Ministry of Investment/Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board - Belgium’s International Economic Cooperation to Promote Green Transition
Representative of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (TBC) - The CRM Act – Implementation and Potential Cooperation with Indonesia: Challenges and Opportunities
Representative of the European Commission (Name TBC) - Petra Meekers, CEO SIPEF
- Prof. Michael Goutama, Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Higher Learning, Research, and Technologies, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Moderator: Lin Goethals, Director, European Institute for Asian Studies
11:30 – 13:00 Yogyakarta Trade, Tourism and Investment Opportunities
- Introduction to Yogyakarta as a Prime Destination for Trade, Tourism and Investment
Remarks by the Vice Governor of Yogyakarta Province (TBC)
Panel Discussion: Unlocking Potential: Building Strong Business Partnerships in Yogyakarta
Panelists:
- Belgian Tour Operator (TBC)
- Yogyakarta Trade, Tourism and Investment Opportunities by Agus Priyono
- Belgian Trade and Investment in Yogyakarta Business Representative (TBC)
- Indonesian Exports to Belgium
Business Representative from Indonesia (TBC) - Moderator: Representative from Indonesia (Name TBC)
13:00 – 14:00 Networking Lunch and Business-to-Business Meetings
- Opening of the Business Expo Showcasing Yogyakarta’s Small and Medium Sized Enterprises’ Products
- One-on-one B2B Meetings Between Indonesian and Belgian Businesses
We look forward to welcoming you at this event. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on eias@eias.org
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
The EIAS Team
Photo credits: Pixabay