A
Annual Report 2013
For EKONID, 2013 was another exciting and extraordinarily busy year; this report
will give you a brief overview of the main activities.
Theeconomicdevelopment of Indonesia in2013was somehowmixed,withanoverall
downward trend: the GDP still grew by 5,78 percent, but that was almost 1 percent
lower than the figure the year before. Indonesian exports slowed by 4 percent to
USD 182 bil. (fob), while imports only slowed by 2,6 percent to USD 186 bil. (cif),
leaving the country with a negative trade balance of USD 4 bil. Substantial outflows
of capital left Indonesia with an overall negative balance of payments of 3,3 percent
of GDP which, together with an inflation above 8 percent, resulted in a significant
depreciation of the Indonesian Rupiah of around 25 percent to the USD and a strong
downward trend of the JCI stock index. Foreign direct investment in Indonesia
continued their positive development and grew year on year by 16 percent close
to USD 30 bil. The Indonesian – German bilateral trade volume slowed as well to
approx. USD 8,58 bil, while German realized foreign direct investments reached an
estimated value of USD 243 Million according to Deutsche Bundesbank.
Nevertheless the interest of corporate Germany in Indonesia continues to be
high, which led to eight business delegations visiting the country in search for
new business opportunities and partners. EKONID continued to support the
growing number of companies looking to do business and contributed through its
participation in 16 bilateral business promotion, information and outreach events
in different cities in Germany. Due to the elections in Germany, only two visits were
conducted by Ministers to Indonesia, one by Minister of Economic Development
Dirk Niebel in January, and another by Foreign Minister Dr. Guido Westerwelle in
February.
Two additional event highlights of Indonesia in Germany should be mentioned;
the State visit of President Yudhoyono to Germany in March, were EKONID was
involved in organizing a business luncheon with the President, the GermanMinister
for Economics and Vice Chancellor Dr. Philipp Rösler; the participation of Indonesia
as Guest Country at BAUMA 2013, with a delegation of more than 300 Indonesian
participants, lead by Minister of Public Works Djoko Kirmanto. EKONID coordinated
the presentation of Indonesia throughout the last 1½ years and participated in high-
ranking meetings between Minister Kirmanto and his counterparts in Germany,
Transport Minister Dr. Peter Ramsauer and Foreign Minister Dr. Guido Westerwelle.
Our regular social and networking events took place throughout the year; with
EKONID’s classics, such as Get Together, Grünkohlessen, Spargelessen, and Summer
Party, aswell as joint eventswithpartners suchas KADINand the IndonesianGerman
Circle (IGC) among others, in which business luncheons with Trade Minister Gita
Wirjawan and BKPM Chairman Mahendra Siregar were held.
Ari Soemarno
Chairman of the Board
MESSAGE
FROM THE CHAIRMAN &
MANAGING DIRECTOR
EKONID Members,
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