On the 2nd day of the 3 rd International Consumer Products Fair yang digelar di Karachi, Pakistan, Indonesian Consulate in Karachi held Hybrid Business-to-Business (Hybrid B- to-B) in cooperation with Special Region of Jakarta, Indonesia; PT. Sarah, Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry and e-Commerce Gateway Pakistan.
The B-to-B hybrid meeting was held simultaneously on-site dan online, to enable the Indonesian and Pakistani business communities to have direct interaction.
The meeting was opened by the Director-General of Asia, Pacific, and Africa, Indonesian MoFA, H. E. Ambassador Abdul Kadir Djailani who fully supports the positive trade increase despite the Covid-19 pandemic situation. Indonesian Consul General in Karachi,
Dr. June Kuncoro Hadiningrat, in his remark, informed that in the year 2021, the bilateral trade between the two countries has reached the highest point of the trade record in the history of economic cooperation of the two countries, accumulating up to 3.9 million USD (5.4% increased) compared to the year 2020, which was only 2.5 million USD.
Along the year 2021, the Consulate has actively conducted 151 economy-related activities and launched the Indonesia-Pakistan Portal. The Portal platform has generated more than US$9,84 million USD through 23 business inquiries from Indonesian companies and 115 from its Pakistani ones.
Representing the Pakistani business community, Muhammad Idres, the President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce; Mr, Abid Nizar, Chairman of Pakistan Indonesia Business Council (PIBC); Mr. Shamoon Zaki, Chairman of Pakistan-Indonesia Business Forum (PIBF) and other businessmen reaffirmed the importance to develop economic further diversification apart from coals and palm oil.
This becomes a pivotal approach considering the strategic position of Karachi, not only as of the center of Pakistan’s economic activity but also as a hub to the wide market in the region, where more than 30 countries are involved, 33 sectors developed, and 7 industrial areas provided to develop an economic ecosystem in Karachi.
Representatives from Indonesia were Trade Director of PT. Sarinah, an Indonesian state- enterprise; and Head of Industry, Trade, SME Department of Jakarta Special Region; also promoted various Indonesian products, especially halal products. Both delegations from Indonesia and Pakistan shared the same initiative to involve more SMEs from both countries.
The B-to-B meeting will be continued with a one-on-one online meeting between the business communities from both countries, in which 41 Pakistani companies and 47 Indonesian companies will get involved. The initiative of B-to-B meeting constitutes Indonesian G20 Presidency’ commitment of “recover together, recover stronger” to push forward the global economic development, including Indonesia and Pakistan.
