Jokowi: Indonesia is Ready to Face Lawsuit on Nickel Export Ban

TheIndonesia.id - President Joko Widodo reiterated that Indonesia will not budge and is ready to face a lawsuit filed by the European Union (EU) over a ban on raw nickel export. Jokowi said his government is ready to tackle the challenges ahead related to the lawsuit that was filed to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

“We shouldn’t be dragged over to the WTO just because we stop sending raw material. We will fight it, no matter what,” the President said during a public seminar on Thursday, November 18.

On the occasion, he also recalled that during the UN Climate Change Conference or COP26 in Glasgow earlier this month, many state leaders had questions on the decision to ban raw nickel export.

He reminded again that the goal is to develop the national nickel industry and downstream which, in return, will add more value to the commodity and create more job opportunities for the people. However, he is still open to potential foreign cooperation and investment.

“We are open to that [idea], but we will stop sending raw material. Nickel is only our first step,” Jokowi firmly stated.

In addition to nickel, Jokowi said in the near future Indonesia will stop exporting raw materials of bauxite and copper. Currently, Indonesia is in the process of constructing a copper smelter in Gresik, East Java.

The ban on nickel ore export first took effect in January 2020 as mandated in Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation No. 11/2019. Upon the ban, the EU has filed a lawsuit against Indonesia, which is the world’s largest nickel producer with 800,000 metric tons (MT) mine production in 2021.