Italy lends $10 million to help Aprisindo<\/p>\n
Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Italian government has agreed to provide a US$10 million
\nsoft loan to the Indonesian Footwear Association (Aprisindo) for
\nthe development of a training center to improve the skills of
\nIndonesian shoemakers and the quality of their export products.<\/p>\n
Italian Ambassador to Indonesia Alessandro Merola said on
\nThursday that the training center was expected to start operating
\nat the beginning of 2003.<\/p>\n
He said that the center would be located in the East Java town
\nof Sidoardjo and would be named the Indonesian Footwear Service
\nCenter (IFSC).<\/p>\n
"We hope that the local administration in Sidoardjo will start
\nbuilding the center in September or October next year so that, if
\nwe're lucky, the center will commence operations in early 2003,"
\nMerola said on the sidelines of a one-day conference for the
\nIndonesian footwear industry.<\/p>\n
The center will provide training to Indonesian shoemakers with
\nsome of the trainers coming from Italy, which has long been
\nregarded as one of the world's best shoe manufacturers.<\/p>\n
It is expected that the IFSC will be actively used by the
\nItalian footwear industry to promote technology and design
\ncapabilities, as well as promoting any form of cooperation sought
\nwith Indonesian counterparts.<\/p>\n
Merola said that Aprisindo would permanently take charge of
\nthe center in its fourth year of operation.<\/p>\n
"We will operate the center for the first three years under
\nItalian assistance, where we will undertake training of the
\ntrainers," the ambassador said.<\/p>\n
Aprisindo praised the agreement as a positive step toward a
\nbetter future for the industry, saying the world-class training
\nprograms would provide the country's shoemakers with the skills
\nrequired to play a bigger role in the international market.<\/p>\n
"I'm glad that the deal has finally been made," Antonius
\nTardia, an Aprisindo official said, adding that the association
\nhad been negotiating the deal with the Italians since 1996.<\/p>\n
The deal comes at a time when the country's footwear sector
\nhas been severely hit by the global economic downturn, with many
\nanalysts predicting that the global economy is on the brink of a
\nfull-blown recession.<\/p>\n
The association earlier warned of a 10 percent drop in exports
\nfor this year.<\/p>\n
In 2000, Indonesia's total shoe exports worldwide were 217
\nmillion pairs, valued at $1.7 million.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/italy-lends-10-million-to-help-aprisindo-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}