https://worldview.stratfor.com/situation-report/indonesia-jokowi-...

https://worldview.stratfor.com/situation-report/indonesia-jokowi-calls-acceleration-nickel-export-ban

Indonesia: 'Jokowi' Calls for Acceleration of Nickel Export Ban

What Happened: Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has called on the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry to examine the possibility of accelerating a planned 2022 decision to close a loophole in the ban of unprocessed nickel ore exports, Bloomberg reported Aug. 9.

Why It Matters: Jokowi is exploring ways to move ahead with a push for increased resource nationalism after he secured a second term in office in April. Removing current exemptions in the blanket nickel export ban would help incentivize onshore processing in support of domestic industry.

Background: At present, Indonesia is issuing export quotas to mining firms that have committed to building processing facilities inside the country. As part of his longtime battle to increase domestic processing, Jokowi halted the export of lower-value raw commodities and banned the export of nickel and bauxite in 2014.