ASEAN Foundation in METRO TV Economic Challenges Program

The Executive Director of ASEAN Foundation, Dr. Makarim Wibisono was invited by Mr. Suryopratomo, the Anchorman and the Director of Metro TV Economic Challenge Program for taping in News Room Wide Short Metro TV Studio on June 13, 2012. The other guests in the program were Minister of Trade of Indonesia, H. E. Mr. Gita Wirjawan, the Brazilian Ambassador to Indonesia H. E. Mr. Paulo Alberto Soares, Mr. Juan Aloei from the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (KADIN), and Mr. Suryadi, the Secretary General of APINDO.

The program was designed to promote the ASEAN-Latin America Business Forum (ALBF) 2012 which is to be held on July 9-10, 2012 in Shangri-La Hotel in Jakarta. This forum provides government leaders, economists, and captains of industries from both regions a platform to raise awareness about ASEAN and Latin American Countries' trade and investment relations. Through an exchange of knowledge and best practices, resource mobilization will be encouraged to further support new initiatives that can address critical needs in specific areas in order to enhance economic ties between the two regions.

With a comparable population size of 580 million people in each region, gross domestic product (PPP) of ASEAN is USD 3.35 trillion while Latin America Countries is USD 6.87 trillion. Latin American imports from ASEAN grew from 0.4 % in 1970 to 3.2 % in recent years while during the same period Latin American exports to ASEAN increased from 0.2 % in 1970 to 1.4 % in recent years.

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