Indonesian Ambassador honoured with prestigious Primaduta Award

The Indonesian Ambassador to Cambodia, Santo Darmosumarto, was awarded with the Primaduta Award presented by the Indonesian government, marking a growth in trade relations between the two countries. The award was presented during the 39th Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) which took place at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) city, Indonesia.

TEI is an annual international B2B trade show designed to promote the growth of the nation’s export products and expand its export markets. The event attended by the President Joko Widodo, and various ambassadors, ministers, and high-level delegations, aims to build strong connections and gather consumers and investors from around the world to engaged directly with Indonesian exporters.

Speaking to Khmer Times during a sideline discussion at the event, Ambassador Santo expressed his pride in receiving the Primaduta award, attributing this achievement to the unwavering support from Cambodia.

“This award recongises the efforts of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Phnom Penh to support the exports of Indonesian products to Cambodia,” he said. “The Primaduta Award is presented to the Indonesian companies or institutions that have contributed to the export of Indonesian products abroad.”

The Indonesian Embassy in Cambodia is the top awardee of the Primaduta Award, followed by the embassies in India, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. “We are not only among five recipients, we are actually the top,” he added.

Ambassador Santo emphasised that this award is not just for the Indonesan Embassy but also for the Cambodian businesses importing Indonesian products. Additionally, another Cambodian company, Dynamic Argon, received the prestigious award for being one of the best importers of Indonesian products to Cambodia. This marks the first time that Cambodians have earned two awards at a single event, reflecting the rapid growth of trade relations between Cambodia and Indonesia.

Ambassador Santo expressed optimism about the future of trade relations, stating, “We hope to see more Indonesian products sold in Cambodia, allowing more Cambodians to enjoy high quality Indonesian products. He highlighted various factors contributing to the embassy’s success, including proactive activities developed by the embassy.

Earlier this month, the Indonesian hosted the “Sousdey Indonesia” exhibition in Phnom Penh to commemorate the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Cambodia and Indonesia, featuring around 100 booths showcasing Indonesian products and services.

This initiative is a part of broader efforts to enhance bilateral relations and foster people-to-people connections.

The economic partnership between Cambodia and Indonesia has flourished in recent years, with the bilateral trade volume increasing by 15% in 2023. In the first six months of this year alone, trade reached $580 million, with projections to surpass $1.1 billion by the end of the year.