THE new government under President-elect Prabowo Subianto and Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming is expected to continue to encourage ministers, heads of institutions and State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) as cornerstone agencies to proactively utilize Indonesia’s membership in international inter-governmental organizations so as to attract more international meetings to Indonesia.
The reason is, Indonesia is increasingly hosting international meeting events or MICE (International Conference and Exhibition) events.Meeting, Incentive, Convention, Exhibition), then it will have a more positive impact on the economy.
“In this case, as a locomotive for moving trade, investment and tourism, opening up massive job opportunities, opening up new markets for Indonesian products, increasing appreciation of Indonesian culture, increasing cooperation in various fields, and others,” said the General Chairperson of the DPP Indonesia Congress and Convention Association (INCCA) Dr Iqbal Alan Abdullah MSc CMMC, in his statement, Thursday (22/8).
Based on the data, in 2021 it is known that Indonesia is a member of 200 intergovernmental international organizations managed by 49 ministries/institutions as cornerstone agencies, such as the UN, ASEAN, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and others.
“We have membership in hundreds of international organizations and every year the government pays quite expensive membership fees. So it must be optimally utilized to support multilateral diplomacy and the implementation of free and active foreign policy while gaining new benefits for the economy, employment, culture, cooperation, new markets, and others,” said Iqbal.
According to him, if each ministry or institution as a cornerstone agency is able to attract two international meetings to be held in Indonesia, Indonesia will already have 400 international meeting activities in one year.
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“Not to mention the private sector and NGOs. Just imagine the positive impacts for us, the economy, workforce, foreign exchange, and others. That’s why I’m sure that in the Prabowo era, our MICE industry will increase,” he continued.
The Leading Agency is a state institution, ministry, non-ministerial government institution, or non-structural institution that is the main contact person between the Indonesian government and international organizations.
In order to strengthen Indonesia’s relations with various international organizations, Iqbal suggested that the government in the future encourage more international organizations to affiliate with associations in Indonesia, both professional associations, NGOs, and others, which can be assisted by providing facilities in the form of contribution financing paid by the government through the sponsoring agency or its affiliated agency.
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He said that various types of meetings could be utilized by regional agencies, which were not limited to annual meetings, conferences or congresses every 4-5 years, but could be other forms of larger numbers such as regional meetings, training, work meetings, and others.
“So the President-elect can encourage ministers or heads of institutions as guardians of international organizations to proactively lobby for international organizations to be held in Indonesia. That can be part of the success of our ministries/institutions or diplomacy,” continued Iqbal, who once served as Deputy Chairman of the Asian Federation of Exhibition and Convention Associations (AFECA) for three terms.
Iqbal added that developing MICE tourism is also part of the strategy for developing the economy, trade, investment and tourism as well as other benefits as regulated in Presidential Regulation No. 30 of 2019 concerning Indonesia’s Membership and Contribution to International Organizations.
Moreover, President-elect Prabowo Subianto has recently started to actively hold various meetings with world leaders within the framework of economic, trade, industrial, defense and security diplomacy.
“This meeting is a very positive signal, that in the future international conferences can be a door to trade diplomacy, investment and others that help the government in achieving its goals in international forums,” he said. (Ant/N-2)
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