WNAM REPORT: The Indonesian Ministry of Industry and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) are strengthening cooperation to support the development of environmentally-based industries and nickel downstreaming.
“We welcome UNIDO’s initiative in strengthening the standardization of environmentally-based industrial areas. This is in line with our upcoming policy related to such areas,” the ministry’s director general of resilience, regionalization and international industrial access, Tri Supondy, stated here on Tuesday (March 11).
During a meeting with UNIDO representatives on March 5, Supondy underlined the strategic role of UNIDO in supporting the acceleration of national industrial transformation.
He stated that the meeting revealed UNIDO’s interest in collaborating to enhance workforce capacity in the green sector and nickel downstreaming.
“UNIDO expressed interest in developing a program to increase the capacity of the workforce in the industrial sector, in collaboration with universities in China and Europe. In addition, UNIDO proposed collaboration in the management and recycling of lithium batteries from the electric vehicle industry,” Tri explained.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s director general of the metal, machinery, transportation equipment, and electronics industry, Setia Diarta, highlighted the importance of developing the nickel industry supply chain in Indonesia.
Hence, he said, the Ministry of Industry is keen to ensure that nickel downstreaming extends beyond the production of raw materials to encompass the development of battery recycling technology.
“That way, the national electric vehicle industry can be more independent and competitive in the global market,” he remarked.
UNIDO Managing Director Ciyong Zou lauded Indonesia’s steps in developing a green industrial ecosystem and mineral downstreaming. According to Zou, Indonesia has vast potential in the manufacturing industry and mineral resources.
Thus, UNIDO is ready to support the strengthening of sustainable industrial infrastructure, including through technology transfer and technical assistance.
In addition to discussing opportunities for cooperation, the Ministry of Industry and UNIDO also evaluated the implementation of the Indonesia-UNIDO Country Program (IUCP) 2021-2025.
The program has included various strategic initiatives, such as the Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme (GEIPP), which is currently entering an advanced stage involving five industrial areas in Indonesia.
Moving forward, the two parties are committed to continuing to expand the scope of cooperation, including in the industrial digitalization and circular economy sectors.
