South Australia has keen interest in AIDA
South Australia has keen interest in AIDA
JAKARTA (JP): The South Australian government has a keen
interest in tapping trade and investment opportunities arising
from the Australia-Indonesia Development Area (AIDA).
South Australia's Premier and Minister for State Development,
John Olsen, said yesterday his government would seek closer links
with Indonesia through AIDA, which connects Indonesia's eastern
provinces with Australia.
"After all we are close neighbors ... We, in Australia, want
to remain a long term friend and build a long-term business
relationship with you," Olsen said.
To encourage AIDA business activity, Olsen said the South
Australian and Northern Territory governments had agreed to
spearhead efforts to set up rail links between their capital
cities, Darwin in the North and Adelaide in the South.
AIDA was set up on Oct. 25 last year so Australia could
contribute to Indonesia's developing eastern provinces.
"The Northern Territory and South Australia governments have
formed a corporation. That corporation will be seeking
international financial interests within the next three months,"
Olsen said.
The two governments had committed to contributing A$100
million each, the Port of Darwin A$90 million and other agencies
A$300 million, he said.
The planned railway link is expected to increase trade between
South Australia and the Northern Territory and ultimately
increase trade with Indonesia's eastern provinces,
Next week, Indonesia and Australia will hold their first AIDA
ministerial meeting. It will be in Ambon, Maluku.
A special AIDA working group, comprising private sector
representatives from both countries, has recommended tourism,
agriculture, fishing and animal husbandry, mining and energy
(including the Timor Gap project), education and training, and
transportation be prioritized for cooperation.
"Next week, our ministers will be here to take further steps
forward into our business relationship, between Australia and
east Indonesia," Olsen said.
There has been growth in overall bilateral trade, with
Australia's exports to Indonesia increasing from A$1.6 billion in
1991/1992 to A$2.8 billion in 1995/1996.
Australia's imports rose from A$1 billion to A$1.5 billion
over this period.
Olsen is here on a two-day trade mission with executives from
27 South Australian firms.
Yesterday, Olsen met the Coordinating Minister for Production
and Distribution, Hartarto, and the Minister of Industry and
Trade, Tunky Ariwibowo.
Today Olsen and his entourage go to Bandung, West Java.
Olsen said his government, together with the Northern
Territory, had set up a link with the BIMP-EAGA subregional
economic zone. BIMP-EAGA links Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and
the Philippines. (rid)