Jakarta (VNA) – The Indonesian government set up cooperation with the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) to deepen the study of the country’s accession process to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two sides on July 30.
ERIA is a think tank specialising in policy studies and recommendations for the ASEAN and East Asia regions.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated that the MoU encompasses various forms of cooperation.
The first involves a joint study on Indonesia’s accession to the OECD and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). ERIA will conduct a study on the benefits, scenario simulations, and the establishment of an OECD project management office.
The second area of cooperation involves the establishment of the ASEAN Zero Emission Center, scheduled to be inaugurated in late August.
The third focuses on cooperation within Future Ready ASEAN to develop the semiconductor supply chain, aiming to expand the automotive and battery industry markets.
Hartarto emphasised that the collaboration with ERIA will also drive the development of the digital and sustainable economies. Future cooperation will include research on digital transformation and fostering the startup ecosystem in ASEAN.
He said the cooperation will involve in-depth studies, joint publications, policy development, and capacity building, adding the partnership is initially planned for two years, with the possibility of extension.
ERIA president Tetsuya Watanabe expressed the institute’s readiness to support Indonesia in enhancing international economic cooperation, affirming ERIA’s commitment to assisting the country in its OECD and CPTPP accession efforts, as well as in developing its semiconductor industry./.
