Indonesia Solo Exhibition 2005 at Expo Centre Sharjah to feature 360 exhibitors

The government of Indonesia, through the National Agency for Export Development (NAFED), Ministry of Trade in cooperation with Indonesian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Indonesian Consulate General in Dubai is organising the exhibition at Expo Centre Sharjah from September 19 to 23, 2005.

A press conference to announce the exhibition was attended by Mr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Ms. Diah Maulida, Indonesia's Director General of Foreign Trade and Acting Chairperson of NAFED; Mr. Faisal Bafadal, Indonesia's Ambassador to UAE; Mr. Muchtar, Consul General , Indonesia's Consulate General in Dubai; Mohammed Salem Al Mosharrekh, Board Member, SCCI and Expo Centre Sharjah; and Mr. Fasahat Ali Khan, Acting Director General, Expo Centre Sharjah.

"The exhibition is Indonesia's largest and the most comprehensive trade fair in the Gulf region. I see this event as a unique opportunity to advance trade relations between this region and Indonesia. The strong participation from Indonesian companies and the wide interest the exhibition has generated among traders and professionals in the region will ensure that the exhibition will help strengthen the ties," said Mr Midfa.

"The exhibition, with its wide range of consumer and industrial products, will offer regional businessmen and investors a chance to establish contacts with their Indonesian counterparts, source new products and services and in the process become part of Indonesia's success story in the Middle East markets," he added.

"Indonesia wishes to send the message to the world that the exports to the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia remain top in our agenda though we are recovering from the tsunami disaster. We trust that the UAE will remain our loyal business partner," said Ms. Diah Maulida.

Diah Maulida added that Middle East and Africa continue to be potential markets for Indonesia. "The number of consumers in the region could add up to one billion. Till today, the bulk of the Indonesian export has been traditionally directed to the Asian markets. We are aware of the need to somehow modify the situation. On the other hand, export to Middle East and Africa which consists of more than 3,000 items, has a positive annual growth and constitutes 6 per cent of the total Indonesian export to the world."

She added: "Our decision to settle on Expo Centre Sharjah has been a strategic one since we want to bring Indonesian products to the doorstep of the Middle East and African traders. Today, they can look forward to source the best of Indonesian export items in Sharjah in September each year."

The ISE 2005 will offer trade visitors business contacts, investments opportunities and a chance to tap cultural as well as tourism promotion.

The exhibition will be held at Halls 1 and 2 covering 8,000 square metres. It will feature products and services of approximately 360 exhibitors. The event will also highlight well-sourced industrial products that were not promoted in the previous exhibitions as well as products of small and medium enterprises. Of the estimated 25,000 visitors, 10,000 will be traders.

Product and services exhibited will comprise industrial products (60 per cent), agricultural items (20 per cent), handicrafts (10 per cent) and the rest include travel and investment services which cover banking, insurance, hotel and tourism, engineering and technology, etc.

The following products were well sourced in the previous shows -- medical equipment, furniture, machinery, textile & textile products, rubber products, metal products, building materials, wooden products, baby carriages, cosmetics, automotive parts, soap, paper, electrical & electronic products, etc.

The exhibitions in 2003 and 2004 were well accepted by the business circle and potential buyers from Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. The previous exhibition featured 309 exhibitors and generated business worth more than US$14 million.

Upon public request, starting the second day of the exhibition, the evening sessions will be open to public.

This will allow the public to appreciate the various cultural performances from different Indonesian regions and fashion shows to be presented by well known Indonesian designers. Their works have captivated men and women of refined taste and people in Sharjah, Dubai and surrounding areas can now preview and purchase their latest creations and designs.

The ISE is an annual trade event jointly organised by the NAFED, a unit of the Indonesian Government's Ministry of Industry and Trade, and Expo Centre Sharjah, with the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.