We have agreed to resume the negotiations."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) received Swiss Vice President Doris Jeuthard here on Wednesday to discuss Switzerlands efforts to increase its investment in Indonesia.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi, who had accompanied President Jokowi during meetings at the State Palace on Wednesday, said the two sides agreed to increase investment by Swiss companies in Indonesia.

"As of now, there are 150 Swiss companies operating in Indonesia," Retno said.

A number of Swiss business delegates had also accompanied the vice president, and discussed efforts to have better economic cooperation.

The delegation included executives of 10 large Swiss companies in the train-truck business and in the energy efficiency sector.

The Indonesian Foreign Minister said both countries welcome the fact that the bilateral trade has registered a significant increase.

"Compared with 2014 figures, the Indonesian-Swiss trade in 2015 increased by 102 percent in favor of Indonesia," she said.

The two leaders also discussed progress in the EFTA. The Indonesia-EFTA negotiations have been going on for the past three years.

"We have agreed to resume the negotiations. This is a significant step in our efforts to enhance economic cooperation," she said.

Switzerland also agreed to increase cooperation in vocational training, including training in the tourism sector.

Other issues of mutual concern discussed during the meeting included increase in development cooperation. "Indonesia is a priority country for Switzerlands development cooperation programs. Our small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) can directly enjoy the benefits of one such cooperation scheme. It also covers our farmers and fishermen," Retno said.

The Swiss vice president also invited Jokowi to visit Switzerland next year.

Besides meeting President Jokowi, the Swiss vice president also held talks with various economic ministers.

On Thursday (March 31), Jeuthard is expected to sign a cooperation agreement with the transportation minister on investment in the transportation sector.

Earlier, Doris Leuthard visited the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agencys (BMKGs) office here to review cooperation that will enable Indonesia to measure more accurately the rising rate of greenhouse gas emissions in the country.

"The Swiss vice presidents visit to BMKG was to review the potential benefits of the collaboration between the two countries," BMKG Chief Andi Eka Sakya stated at a press conference on Wednesday.

Sakya noted that Indonesia and Switzerland, working together on the "Capacity Building and Twinning for Climate Observing System (CATCOS)," will continue to improve the levels of accuracy in recording greenhouse gas emissions.

Cooperation on this aspect was initiated by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, with MeteoSwiss as its coordinating partner, he said.

CATCOS also aims to improve the accessibility of recorded atmospheric data to some of the worlds data centers.

The project is expected to enhance observational capacity, especially for climate variables such as aerosols.

In Indonesia, CATCOS can play a role in supporting the process of analyzing extreme weather events such as forest fires and haze.
He added that the Observation Station of Global Atmospheric Watch in Bukit Kototabang, Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, was a greenhouse gas emission observatory that was built as a result of the cooperation between Indonesia and Switzerland.***3***
(Uu.A014/INE/KR-BSR/S012)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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