Media

BANDA ACEH, May 21, 2026 — Chairwoman of the Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO), Shinta W. Kamdani, accompanied by APINDO National Vice Chair Eddy Hussy and Head of Organization Anthony Hilman, officially inaugurated the 2026–2031 leadership board of the Aceh Provincial Board of APINDO (DPP APINDO Aceh) in Banda Aceh.

In her keynote address titled “Aceh Lon Sayang,” Shinta expressed appreciation for the resilience of the Acehnese people while outlining the province’s strategic economic potential, which she described as a strong foundation for future growth.

According to her, Aceh possesses solid economic fundamentals across several leading sectors. The province currently ranks fourth nationally as one of Indonesia’s largest coffee exporters, with Gayo coffee widely recognized in markets across the United States and Europe. Aceh’s rice production is also ranked eighth nationally, reinforcing its position as one of Indonesia’s key food-producing regions. In the maritime sector, she noted that with a coastline stretching approximately 2,666 kilometers, Aceh’s fisheries exports in 2024 surpassed targets, reaching US$4.3 million.

Shinta also introduced APINDO’s national Debottlenecking Task Force and Business Barrier Reporting Channel, an initiative aimed at helping regional business associations report investment and licensing obstacles for advocacy at the national level.

“We encourage APINDO administrators in Aceh to actively utilize this channel to report licensing or investment barriers in the field. These issues will be aggregated and brought directly to the national level, including through strategic communication channels with relevant ministries and the State Secretariat, so that systemic solutions can be pursued,” she emphasized.

Meanwhile, APINDO Aceh Chair H. Ramli stated that the newly inaugurated leadership carries a strong commitment to reinforcing the role of entrepreneurs as drivers of economic growth in the province.

“We invite all stakeholders to collaborate, especially in job creation. We are ready to work closely with the Aceh Provincial Government to increase investment and regional economic growth through an inclusive and active approach so that APINDO’s presence truly benefits all Acehnese people,” he said.

Representing the Aceh Provincial Government, Assistant for Economic and Development Affairs (Assistant II) of the Aceh Regional Secretariat, Robby Irza, expressed hope that APINDO would make a tangible contribution to strengthening investment and regional economic development.

“Aceh has extraordinary potential, but we must honestly acknowledge that there are still no well-established large-scale industries in the province. Therefore, we welcome APINDO’s commitment. We hope APINDO can strengthen the capacity of local MSMEs so they can move up the value chain and compete globally,” he stated.

He also highlighted the importance of inter-institutional synergy, including through the signing of memorandums of understanding between APINDO and several strategic institutions, namely Yayasan Amanah, Atsiri Research Center (ARC) PUIPT Nilam Aceh Universitas Syiah Kuala, and Universitas Iskandar Muda.

“We welcome today’s signing of MoUs with various strategic institutions. Let us build strong synergy between the government and the business sector to create a healthy investment climate,” he added.

The event was attended by a number of distinguished guests and strategic stakeholders from government institutions, the military and police, banking, and the business community. Among those present were Zulkifli H. Adam, Aceh Manpower and Population Office Head Akmil Husain, Aceh Cooperatives and SMEs Office Head Reza Ferdian, Aceh Industry and Trade Office Head T. Adi Darma, and Aceh Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chair Ir. H. Muhammad Iqbal.

Also attending were Chair of the APINDO Aceh Advisory Board Hj. Kartini NI, APINDO Executive Director Rudolf Saut, representatives from the Aceh Regional Police, Kodam Iskandar Muda, Air Force Base Command representatives, executives from Bank Aceh, Bank Syariah Indonesia, and Bank BSN, as well as regional police chiefs from across Aceh.

Prior to the inauguration ceremony, APINDO Aceh also organized a Business Forum titled “Enhancing Aceh’s Economic Competitiveness through Collaboration, Mentoring Synergy, and MSME Digital Acceleration” at Grand Permata Hati Aceh. The forum featured speakers from Bank Aceh and APINDO’s national leadership, and included a donation handover for post-flood reconstruction efforts in Aceh.