TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Indonesia will push the automotive market in free trade area (FTA) cooperation with Australia. The automotive sector is being pushed in order to reduce the trade deficit with Australia, which totals US$1 billion. “If we can enter FTA, it is expected that automotive sector will become part of the regional production network,” said Mari E. Pangestu, Trade Minister, Wednesday (27/6).

The government has made substantial progress in establishing a policy framework for the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative, but is not doing enough to advance it, an EU-Indonesia Infrastructure Forum has concluded. "The government has made substantial progress in establishing the foundations for a PPP policy, institutional and regulatory framework," said the head of the European Chamber of Commerce's Indonesia Small Project Facility (SPF) program, Francois Cherer. "What's next?

Leading Australian fertilizer firm Incitec Pivot Ltd. (IPL) agreed Tuesday with two Indonesian partners to conduct a joint feasibility study on building a plant to supply three fertilizer plants in Aceh with feedstock, electricity and steam. IPL signed the agreement with state-owned holding company PT Pupuk Sriwijaya (PUSRI), which owns fertilizer producer PT Iskandar Muda (PIM), which operates the three ammonia and urea plants, and state-owned engineering firm PT Rekayasa Industri.

Manado (ANTARA News) - A German investor is interested in setting up an industry to produce high quality seaweed-based products like toothpaste, wine and ointment, a marine affairs official said. "The investor also plans to cultivate seaweek," marine resources and fishery minister`s expert staff Prof Dr Rizald Rompas said here on Wednesday.