Indonesia plans palm oil refinery in Egypt and industrial productivity boosts

Indonesia is advancing several strategic economic and industrial initiatives. The investment agency Danantara plans to build a palm oil refinery in Egypt to meet high domestic demand and strengthen bilateral ties. This follows high-level discussions between President Prabowo Subianto and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi regarding an Economic Partnership Agreement and a potential joint investment fund.

On the domestic front, the Ministry of Industry has set a target to increase manufacturing labor productivity from Rp124.35 million per person in 2025 to Rp147.7 million by 2029. Minister Muhammad Sarmuji emphasized that achieving this requires integrating competent, adaptive human resources through vocational education and 'link and match' systems that align with technological advancements like automation and digital skills.

Simultaneously, the Ministry of Manpower is aiming for a 70 percent employment rate for graduates of the National Vocational Training program. Minister Yassierli stated that the government is transforming Vocational and Productivity Training Centers (BPVP) to be more demand-driven and responsive to industry needs, utilizing tracer studies to monitor alumni success in the job market.