ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA — Indonesia and Morocco are accelerating efforts to establish a new economic bridge connecting Southeast Asia and Africa, leveraging their strategic positions as gateways to two of the world’s most dynamic growth regions.
With Indonesia providing access to the ASEAN market of more than 680 million people and Morocco serving as a gateway to Africa, Europe and the Mediterranean, both countries see significant potential to expand trade, investment and private sector cooperation.
The opportunity was highlighted during a meeting between Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Trade Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri and Morocco’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Trade Omar Hejira in Jakarta on Thursday, July 9. The two officials discussed strengthening bilateral trade relations, investment cooperation and greater involvement from businesses in both countries.
“Within ASEAN, Indonesia is Morocco’s third-largest trading partner. Considering the size of our economies and the complementary nature of our markets, we believe there is substantial room to further expand trade and investment cooperation,” Deputy Minister Roro said.
Halal Cooperation Opens New Chapter for Economic Partnership
A major milestone in Indonesia–Morocco economic relations came with the signing of the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) on Halal Product Assurance between Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH) and Morocco’s Institut Marocain de Normalisation (IMANOR) in Jakarta on 20 May 2026.
The agreement is expected to strengthen trust between businesses, facilitate market access and support the revival of negotiations for the Indonesia–Morocco Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
“Indonesia hopes to reactivate the negotiations soon. The PTA and the Halal MRA will provide a strong foundation for deeper trust and closer cooperation between businesses from both countries, allowing bilateral trade to grow further,” Roro said.
The Indonesia–Morocco PTA process was launched through the signing of an agreement in Fes, Morocco, on 28 June 2018. Negotiators from both sides have since made significant progress on the agreement text, although discussions were delayed as both countries prioritized cooperation in the halal sector.
Morocco Positions Itself as Gateway to Africa
Indonesia is also inviting Moroccan businesses to explore opportunities through Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) 2026, which will be held at Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) BSD, Tangerang, Banten, from 14–18 October 2026.
Under the theme “The Ultimate Hub for Global Sourcing,” TEI 2026 will showcase Indonesia’s export capabilities through innovative, sustainable and globally competitive products.
Omar Hejira welcomed Indonesia’s commitment to expanding economic ties and emphasized the importance of stronger trade agreements and private sector collaboration.
He also encouraged Indonesian companies to expand into Morocco, highlighting the country’s strategic role as a gateway to Africa and its upcoming global exposure as one of the hosts of the FIFA World Cup 2030 alongside Spain and Portugal.
“We hope negotiations for the trade agreement can resume in early 2027. We invite Indonesia to visit Marrakesh, one of Morocco’s major commercial centers, to experience Morocco’s position as a gateway to Africa,” Omar said.
Trade Momentum Signals Untapped Potential
Economic relations between Indonesia and Morocco have shown strong momentum. Bilateral trade reached USD 235 million in 2025, increasing 33.04 percent compared with the previous year.
From January to May 2026, trade between the two countries reached USD 158.1 million, representing annual growth of 41.95 percent.
Indonesia’s exports to Morocco totaled USD 154.9 million in 2025, driven by coffee, new pneumatic tires, animal and vegetable fats and oils, margarine and processed food products, as well as coal.
Meanwhile, Indonesia imported USD 80.1 million worth of products from Morocco, including nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers, raw aluminum, women’s apparel and industrial materials.
Indonesia recorded a trade surplus of USD 74.8 million with Morocco in 2025. Morocco currently ranks as Indonesia’s 74th export destination and 76th import source.
Investment cooperation is also gaining traction. Morocco became Indonesia’s 62nd source of foreign investment, with foreign direct investment increasing from USD 1.4 million in 2024 to around USD 5.4 million in 2025.
During 2021–2025, Moroccan investment in Indonesia reached approximately USD 8.4 million across 122 projects.
The strengthening Indonesia–Morocco partnership reflects a broader shift in global trade, where emerging economies are building new connections between regions. By linking ASEAN’s manufacturing and consumer growth with Africa’s expanding market potential, both countries are positioning themselves as strategic hubs in the next generation of global economic cooperation. (AT Network)
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