VZCZCXRO6171
RR RUEHJS
DE RUEHJA #2104 3620752
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280752Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4198
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 2608

UNCLAS JAKARTA 002104 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EEB/CBA, 
AND S/P GBEHRMAN 
DEPT PASS TO USTR FOR KELHERS; BWEISEL 
 
E.O. 12598: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAID PGOV SOCI ID
SUBJECT: Mission Indonesia Promotes Entrepreneurship 
 
REFTEL: STATE 112468 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: Embassy Jakarta actively engages in promoting 
entrepreneurship as a means to strengthen ties with high-impact 
economic actors in Indonesia.  This key group of stakeholders has 
the potential to positively shape and influence economic and 
political governance.  Efforts to date have shown promise. 
Indonesian officials and business leaders have expressed enthusiasm 
to cooperate on entrepreneurship and interest in hosting a follow-on 
event to President Obama's planned Entrepreneurship Summit in early 
¶2010.  As a possible component of the proposed U.S.-Indonesia 
Comprehensive Partnership, entrepreneurship promotion and exchange 
would advance relations in the world's largest Muslim population 
country and third largest democracy.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Post organizes regular meetings and roundtable discussions 
with entrepreneurs and business leaders as part of our outreach 
efforts.  The Ambassador held a roundtable discussion with members 
of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), one of several 
associations representing Indonesia's growing entrepreneurial class. 
 Our DCM hosted a roundtable with a similar group, the Jakarta 
Chapter of Entrepreneurship Organization (EO) to discuss investment 
climate concerns among other shared interests.  The Ambassador also 
initiated a series of "fireside chats" with Indonesian business 
leaders to engage on current issues and cooperation in a private and 
informal setting.  Most recently, Under Secretary Burns met with a 
group of young Indonesian leaders, including several entrepreneurs, 
during his visit to Jakarta in December.  These outreach efforts 
have been an effective means of strengthening ties and increasing 
mutual understanding.  As a result, Indonesian business leaders have 
played a constructive role in the resolution of several 
long-standing commercial disputes.  Support from the local business 
community was also critical to persuading the Government of 
Indonesia (GOI) to enter negotiations to update OPIC's Investment 
Incentive Agreement. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Post approached Endeavor, a U.S.-based NGO specializing in 
entrepreneurship, to establish a program in Indonesia.  Our 
initiative to engage Endeavour was in response to feedback we 
received from our outreach efforts.  Indonesian entrepreneurs and 
business leaders expressed consistent concerns that Indonesia lacked 
the training opportunities and entrepreneurial expertise needed to 
reach its potential and compete at the global level.  The Ambassador 
responded by meeting with Endeavor CEO Linda Rottenberg to discuss 
the prospects of establishing a program in Indonesia.  Endeavor 
responded favorably; we expect them to arrive for their first 
assessment trip at the end of January 2010. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Post is incorporating more entrepreneurship content into 
Mission programming: 
 
-- Public Affairs U.S. Speaker series on youth entrepreneurship with 
Indonesian audiences to Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan; 
 
-- Placement of an op-ed in a local paper around the time of the 
President's Entrepreneurship Summit early next year; 
 
-- Consideration of incorporating an entrepreneurship-theme into our 
next film festival of popular American films; 
 
-- Promotion of entrepreneurship through various USAID programs, 
including a loan guarantee program designed to assist entrepreneurs 
to gain access to much-needed financing; 
 
-- Initial discussions with the office of Commercial and Business 
Affairs on possibilities for further cooperation on entrepreneurship 
with Indonesia. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Outreach to Muslim countries often focuses on a narrow 
definition of "civil society" that excludes the business class.  The 
President's Cairo initiative rightly highlights entrepreneurship as 
a priority area.  Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim majority 
country, and entrepreneurs and business leaders wield significant 
influence in shaping its political and economic future.  Enhancing 
our engagement with these stakeholders through entrepreneurship 
promotion is an effective means to strengthen our partnership with 
the world's third largest democracy. 
 
OSIUS