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Jokowi supports inter-province trade initiative
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. The President said that to accelerate trade between provinces, regional administrations needed to reduce bureaucratic red tape. (Antara/Rosa Panggabean)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Thursday voiced his support for the integration of inter-province trade initiated by the Indonesian Provincial Government Association (APPSI) at its national meeting in Bandung, West Java, on Wednesday.
The President believed the initiative could help boost national economic growth.
The initiative, which was agreed to by APPSI members, aims to facilitate trade among provinces to minimise foreign imports.
In response to a request from APPSI to issue a related presidential instruction (Inpres), the President said the matter should be thoroughly discussed within the government. “We need to discuss the details so we can facilitate the process of inter-province trade,” Jokowi added.
The President said that to accelerate trade between provinces, regional administrations needed to reduce bureaucratic red tape.
“The problems include lengthy licensing processes, too many regulations and the like. I want to see all processes reduced,” he added.
On Wednesday, APPSI agreed to make inter-province trade a high priority, instead of prioritizing imports and exports from other countries. “Currently, trade acceleration has been oriented toward overseas trade, exports and imports,” said APPSI chairman Syahrul Yasin Limpo.
He said a regulation issued by the central government would address various problems, including the need to improve inter-province connectivity to ensure that delivery costs did not exceed those of overseas trade. (dpk/bbn)
