Press Release

USAID Enhances Indonesia's Trade and Economy

jakarta | Monday, August 10, 2009

JAKARTA -- Today Minister of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu led a ceremony marking the close-out of the Indonesia Trade Assistance Project (ITAP), a project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The four-year project has assisted the Ministry of Trade in improving its institutional capacity and organizational effectiveness in domestic and international trade.

Through USAID’s $14.9 billion initiative, begun in January 2006, ITAP has worked closely with most all units within the Ministry, and with other donors, to address strategic issues affecting the  planning, analysis, implementation and management of domestic and international trade policies and programs.  The objective has been to expand the country’s exports, improve investment climate and create new employment policies.

“I believe the Ministry of Trade stands on the threshold of a new era as a reformed and restructured ministry capable of pursuing its mission in keeping with recognized international best practices in public sector management and public policy implementation,” explained USAID Acting Mission Director Hermie Pangan.

ITAP is part of a long history of USAID support to the government of Indonesia in capacity development in the trade sector, which began with the establishment of the Trade Implementation and Policy project in 1993.

ITAP’s major programs included the launching of two master’s degree programs in international trade and international trade law at the University of Indonesia in which 105 staff were given professional training.  ITAP also supported the Ministry’s initiative to establish a new Trade in Services Team and initiated work to help the Ministry do structural reform, including the elevation of the Legal Bureau to the level of the directorate general.

More broadly, ITAP spent US$ 3 million to build an IT network; provided technical assistance in creating an organizational structure for a reformed ministry; developed the Center for Public Relations; and provided training programs on strategic communications to more than 1,200 officials at all levels of the Ministry of Trade.

For more information, please contact:  Roman Woronowycz, USAID Communications and Outreach Officer, tel: 6221-3435-9424 or email: rworonowycz@usaid.gov