Rotterdam's mission arrives next week to boost trade ties

JAKARTA (JP): Rotterdam's Lord Mayor, A. Peper, will lead a group of 15 business representatives from the city in the Netherlands on a five-day trade and investment mission to Indonesia next week.

Indonesian-Netherlands Association director E. Bouma said yesterday Peper and the delegation were scheduled to visit Jakarta and Surabaya, East Java, from Oct. 6 to Oct. 10 and would hold workshops and meet with officials and local businesses.

"We are looking for promising business opportunities," he said, adding a lot of Dutch multinationals aimed to invest in Indonesia as a production base for the Southeast Asian region.

The delegation will look for cooperation with Indonesian companies to direct exports to Europe through Rotterdam's port, he said.

Bouma said the delegation would also look for cooperation in logistic safety environment and the possibility to invest in shipment port facilities such as cargo handling.

During the visit they are scheduled to meet with the Coordinating Minister for Production and Distribution, Hartarto, executives of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Trade and local companies such as the Bakrie Brothers and Surabaya-based Maspion.

Peper also plans to attend the inauguration of Jakarta's new governor on Oct. 6.

The group will also hold a two-day workshop to promote Rotterdam to Indonesian businesspeople. The workshop will be held in Jakarta on Oct. 7, and Surabaya on Oct. 9.

Last year Netherlands' investment in Indonesia reached US$1.3 billion, up from $360 million in 1995.

The counselor for Economic and Commercial Affairs, Johannes Vervloed, said investment was made mostly in agribusiness, food, chemicals and transportation.

Indonesia's exports shipped through Rotterdam's port reached $2 billion last year, while Netherlands' exports to Indonesia reached $1 billion, Vervloed said. (das)