Arsjad Rasjid Talks About the Economic Potential of ASEAN

Ketua ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Arsjad Rasjid menegaskan, diperlukan langkah kehati-hatian dan perhitungan matang dalam  memanfaatkan potensi bisnis di bidang perdagangan dan investasi di negara-negara Asia Tenggara.

Indonesia sebagai Ketua ASEAN-BAC Tahun 2023 telah meletakkan pondasi kokoh yang dapat dijadikan sebagai rujukan negara-negara di Asia Tenggara,  menarik  investasi untuk mewujudkan  ASEAN sebagai pusat pertumbuhan ekonomi melalui sektor swasta.

“Asia Tenggara terbukti memiliki potensi yang sangat besar. Tahun 2023, pertumbuhan produk domestik bruto di kawasan makin sehat dan telah kembali ke posisi sebelum pandemi. Para kepala negara yang kami temui juga mengakui langkah-langkah konkret ASEAN BAC,” kata Arsjad saat 55th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings di Hotel Padma Semarang, Jawa Tengah.

Dalam 55th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings, delegasi ASEAN-BAC melakukan konsultasi dan diskusi dengan ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) mengenai perkembangan terkait 5 isu prioritas dan 8 legacy project yang diusung oleh ASEAN-BAC.

“Konsultasi dengan AEM membahas tentang implementasi ASEAN Vision 2045. Kami juga berdiskusi terkait solusi untuk  mendorong hubungan ekonomi sesama negara ASEAN dan juga dengan negara mitra ASEAN, serta inisiatif untuk meningkatkan integrasi ekonomi ASEAN menuju ekonomi regional yang inklusif, inovatif, tangguh, dan transformatif melalui ASEAN Business Network (ABN),” ujar Arsjad yang didampingi oleh para perwakilan ASEAN-BAC dari masing-masing negara di ASEAN serta policy manager dan legacy lead dari ASEAN-BAC Indonesia.

Disebutkan, di bawah kepemimpinan Indonesia, ASEAN-BAC telah melakukan roadshow  ke negara-negara ASEAN dan mitra eksternal, seperti Inggris, Jepang, Korea Selatan, Australia, Kanada, dan Tiongkok.

“Kami meyakinkan para pemimpin dan pengusaha bahwa ASEAN wajib diperhitungkan karena memiliki fundamental ekonomi yang kuat dan ASEAN dapat dijadikan sebagai surga investasi global,” kata Wakil Ketua ASEAN-BAC, Bernardino Vega.   

Asia Tenggara memiliki potensi dan peluang bisnis yang sangat menjanjikan di bidang pertanian dan pangan, ekonomi digital, kesehatan swasta-publik, mendorong  pertumbuhan ekosistem perdagangan kendaraan listrik ASEAN, ekosistem kendaraan listrik, mobilisasi pasar karbon, dan sistem pembayaran QR regional.

Pada tahun 2010, investasi asing langsung (Foreign Direct Investment/FDI) di Asia Tenggara hanya sekitar US$ 23 miliar. Jumlah itu  pada tahun 2021 melonjak  menjadi US$ 47 miliar.

Selain itu, Asia Tenggara juga memiliki keunggulan berupa sumber daya energi alam yang besar, untuk memenuhi permintaan energi global. Bahkan, lanjutnya, ekonomi digital ASEAN diproyeksikan berkembang secara signifikan dari US$ 194 miliar pada tahun 2022 menjadi US$ 330 miliar pada tahun 2025.

“Saya pastikan keunggulan-keunggulan ASEAN adalah nyata dan sudah terbukti. Bisnis yang kami ciptakan juga memberikan harapan pertumbuhan yang jelas,” jelas Arsjad.

Delegasi ASEAN-BAC juga melakukan beberapa pertemuan lainnya, salah satunya membahas mengenai ASEAN Tariff Finder. Sebuah platform online yang dirancang untuk mendukung para pedagang dalam memaksimalkan manfaat dari perjanjian Free Trade Agreement (FTA) yang telah diselesaikan atau ditingkatkan, termasuk Association of Southeast Asian Nations Trade In Goods Agreement  (ATIGA), FTA ASEAN+1, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), dan FTA bilateral yang diselesaikan oleh negara anggota ASEAN.

Selain itu beberapa pertemuan bilateral juga dilakukan dengan beberapa pihak yaitu, Alfredo Espinosa Pascual selaku Menteri Perdagangan dan Industri Filipina; Nigel Paul Huddleston selaku Anggota Parlemen Inggris yang juga menjabat sebagai Menteri Perdagangan Internasional; Gan Kim Yong selaku Menteri Perdagangan dan Industri Singapura; Nguyen Hong Dien selaku Menteri Industri dan Perdagangan Vietnam.

 98th ASEAN-BAC Meeting dan 22nd Joint Business Council Meeting

 Sebelumnya, delegasi ASEAN-BAC telah melakukan 98th ASEAN-BAC Meeting dan 22nd Joint Business Council (JBC) Meeting pada 18 Agustus 2023 di Hotel Tentrem Semarang, Jawa Tengah.

Dalam pertemuan ini, turut hadir seluruh delegasi ASEAN-BAC dari seluruh negara ASEAN, sekaligus dewan bisnis atau JBC dari negara mitra ASEAN, untuk mempersiapkan pertemuan dengan ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM). Dalam pertemuan ini para pemimpin working group memberikan laporan perkembangan dari 5 isu prioritas dan 8 legacy project yang dijalankan oleh ASEAN-BAC, sekaligus persiapan ASEAN-BAC Summit Week 2023 yang akan berlangsung 2 minggu lagi.

“ASEAN-BAC Summit Week 2023 terdiri dari berbagai rangkaian yang akan dilakukan pada 1 - 8 September 2023 di Jakarta. Pada tanggal 3 - 4 September akan dilaksanakan ASEAN Business & Investment Summit, juga ASEAN Business Awards pada 4 September. Selanjutnya akan diadakan beberapa acara lainnya seperti ASEAN Fintech Roundtable dan ASEAN-BAC Roundtables Meeting pada 5-6 September 2023, serta Indonesia Sustainability Forum pada 7 - 8 September 2023,” tutup Arsjad.

The Chairman of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), Arsjad Rasjid, emphasized the necessity of cautious steps and careful planning in harnessing the business potential within the trade and investment sectors across Southeast Asian nations.

Indonesia, the Chair of ASEAN-BAC for 2023, has laid a solid foundation that can serve as a reference for countries in Southeast Asia, in order to attract investments aimed at realizing ASEAN's role as an economic growth hub through the private sector.

"Southeast Asia has indeed demonstrated immense potential. In 2023, the growth of the region's gross domestic product has become more robust and has returned to pre-pandemic levels. The heads of state we are engaged with also acknowledged the tangible measures undertaken by ASEAN-BAC," stated Arsjad during the 55th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings at Hotel Padma Semarang, Central Java.

During the 55th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings, the ASEAN-BAC delegation engaged in consultations and discussions with the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM). This largely being the developments pertaining to the 5 priority issues and 8 legacy projects initiated by ASEAN-BAC.

"Consultations with the AEM centered around the implementation of the ASEAN Vision 2045. We also discussed solutions to foster economic relations among ASEAN member states, as well as with ASEAN partner countries. Additionally, we explored initiatives to enhance ASEAN's economic integration towards a regional economy that is inclusive, innovative, resilient, and transformative through the ASEAN Business Network (ABN)," stated Arsjad, accompanied by ASEAN-BAC representatives from each ASEAN member state. This also included  policy managers and legacy leads from ASEAN-BAC Indonesia.

It was noted that under Indonesia's leadership, ASEAN-BAC has conducted roadshows to ASEAN member countries and external partners, including: The United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, and China.

"We assured leaders and entrepreneurs that ASEAN must be taken into account due to its robust economic fundamentals, positioning ASEAN as a global investment haven," stressed Bernardino Vega, Alternate Chair of ASEAN-BAC.

Southeast Asia holds significant potential and promising business opportunities in several sectors, including but not limited to:agriculture and food, digital economy, private-public healthcare, driving the growth of the ASEAN electric vehicle trading ecosystem, electric vehicle ecosystems, carbon market mobilization, and regional QR payment systems.

In 2010, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Southeast Asia was approximately USD 23 billion. This figure surged to USD 47 billion in 2021.

Moreover, Southeast Asia possesses a notable advantage in the form of abundant natural energy resources to meet global energy demands. Furthermore, ASEAN's digital economy is projected to experience significant growth, expanding from USD $194 billion in 2022 to USD $330 billion in 2025.

"I assure you that the advantages of ASEAN are tangible and proven. The businesses we've fostered also offer clear prospects for growth," Arsjad explained.

The ASEAN-BAC delegation also held several other meetings, one of which discussed the ASEAN Tariff Finder. This is an online platform designed to assist traders in maximizing the benefits from completed or enhanced Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Trade In Goods Agreement (ATIGA), ASEAN+1 FTAs, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and bilateral FTAs completed by ASEAN member countries.

In addition, several bilateral meetings were also conducted with various government stakeholders, including Alfredo Espinosa Pascual, Philippines Secretary of Trade and Industry; Nigel Paul Huddleston, a Member of the British Parliament who also serves as Minister of State for International Trade; Gan Kim Yong, Singapore Minister for Trade and Industry; and Nguyen Hong Dien, Vietnam Minister of Industry and Trade.

98th ASEAN-BAC Meeting and 22nd Joint Business Council Meeting

Previously, the ASEAN-BAC delegation conducted the 98th ASEAN-BAC Meeting and the 22nd Joint Business Council (JBC) Meeting on August 18, 2023. 

During this meeting, the entire ASEAN-BAC delegation from all ASEAN countries, along with the Joint Business Council (JBC) representatives from ASEAN partner countries, convened to prepare for the engagement with the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM). In this meeting, the leaders of the working groups provided progress reports on the 5 priority issues and 8 legacy projects undertaken by ASEAN-BAC, as well as the preparations for the ASEAN-BAC Summit Week 2023, which will take place in two weeks.

"The ASEAN-BAC Summit Week 2023 comprises a series of events scheduled from 1 - 8 September 2023. On 3 - 4 September 2023, the ASEAN Business & Investment Summit will be held, along with the ASEAN Business Awards on 4 September 2023. Subsequently , various other events will follow, such as the ASEAN Fintech Roundtable and ASEAN-BAC Roundtables Meeting from 5 - 6 September 2023, and the Indonesia Sustainability Forum on 7 - 8 September 2023," Arsjad stated.