Southeast Asia logistics company Asia Cargo Network (ACN) Group and the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, have explored the opportunities for collaboration in air cargo.
“We hope and ask for support from the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum in starting and carrying out this air cargo business collaboration,” ACN Group Area Manager Lukman Hakim said on February 22, 2023, as quoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
Hakim explained that the visit by the ACN team, led by General Manager Manosh Sivadas, to the embassy was to explore an air cargo cooperation with a joint venture system with Khartoum-based air transportation service company Green Flag Aviation Co. Ltd.
The company has planned to bring in aircrafts from Indonesia for the air cargo purpose. ACN also intends to establish a hub in Sudan, an additional hub to the existing one in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
The plan is for the cargo aircraft to fly to various destinations, including Khartoum, Cameroon, Congo, and other countries in Africa and the Middle East.
The embassy warmly welcomed the visit and would be in favor of the proposed air cargo cooperation between Indonesia and Sudan. The cooperation is seen as a means of strengthening the relationship between the two nations and will facilitate an increasing trade between Indonesia and Sudan, as well as other African countries.
Indonesia-Sudan trade balance
Indonesia and Sudan have been working to enhance their trade cooperation in recent years, with a particular focus on increasing exports and imports between the two countries.
The trade balance data of Indonesia-Sudan from 2017-2022 (in million US$):
| Description | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Export | 89.6 | 102.3 | 114.4 | 120.6 | 107.0 |
| Import | 242.0 | 110.8 | 67.5 | 16.2 | 36.4 |
| Total | 331.6 | 213.1 | 181.9 | 136.8 | 143.4 |
Indonesia’s main products exported to Sudan were, among others, palm oil, instant noodles, soap and cigarettes. Meanwhile, Indonesia imported from Sudan Gum arabic, which is used in the food and beverage industry as a thickener and stabilizer, and many more.
Although the total trade volume between Indonesia and Sudan is relatively small, there is a potential for growth in several key areas, including agriculture, mining and energy.
Until now, the two countries have signed several bilateral agreements and held regular meetings and trade missions to explore new opportunities for cooperation.
Indonesia cooperations with African countries
Indonesia’s cooperation with African countries can be traced back to the 1950s, more than five years after the country proclaimed its independence from Dutch colonialism. At that time, Indonesia established diplomatic relations with many African nations, including Egypt, Ghana and Sudan.
Since then, Indonesia has been actively involved in various economic and development programs in Africa, including infrastructure development, health, education and capacity building.
The country has also provided technical assistance and training to African countries in areas such as agriculture, mining and energy.
In recent years, Indonesia has stepped up its efforts to strengthen its economic ties with African countries, with a particular focus on trade and investment.
In 2018, Indonesia hosted the Indonesia-Africa Forum, which brought together government officials and business leaders from both sides to explore new trade and investment opportunities.
Indonesia’s cooperation with African countries has also been driven by its desire to diversify its export markets and reduce its dependence on traditional markets such as the United States and Europe.
As part of this effort, Indonesia has sought to increase its exports to Africa, particularly in sectors such as palm oil, textiles and automotive products. Indonesia’s cooperation with African countries are most likely to continue to grow in the coming years as both seek to explore new opportunities and deepen the economic ties.
