Country Profile: Italy -- June 2

Country Profile: Italy -- June 2

IBAI: Indonesia becoming a more interesting market

The Italian Business Association in Indonesia (IBAI) conveys
its heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of the Italian
National Day, a moment of special encounter between our country
of origin and our host country, Indonesia.

IBAI, active in Jakarta since 1994, represents Italian
businesses here and serves as a meeting point and a reference for
incoming Italian business visitors.

IBAI is also a member of multilateral institutional bodies
such as the International Business Chamber (IBC) and the European
Business Chamber, where topics of wider scope are debated.

Major Italian and Indonesian-Italian joint ventures in
Indonesia are present in IBAI, covering production and marketing
activities in the country, the visible part of the Italian
business "iceberg".

But on this day of celebration, the IBAI wants to remember as
well the efforts and the successes of countless Italian small and
medium-enterprises, which, without a stable presence in
Indonesia, are constantly laboring to achieve their goals,
whether exporting goods from this country or importing them. This
strong and mostly invisible activity makes the trade relationship
between Indonesia and Italy one of the biggest in value among the
European countries.

IBAI, recognizing the very positive impact this continuous
effort has on the two countries, hopes that some of these
businesses will form themselves into a permanent establishment,
thus giving Italy greater visibility in Indonesia.

The time for this is now, when a new government and an
improved economic environment are making Indonesia an even more
interesting market.

A special word of sympathy, at this moment and on this day, to
our brothers and sisters in Aceh and Nias. We know that the
Italian business community and Italian institutions in Indonesia
are doing their part at this difficult time in rehabilitating and
reconstructing these devastated communities. Let us not spare our
efforts.

Best wishes to Italian businesses on this June 2 celebration,
and best wishes to our beloved Indonesia. Let us continue to work
together, for both our benefits.