During a meeting with Hossam Heiba, CEO of Egypt's General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), at the Trade Expo Indonesia 2025 in Tangerang, Banten, on Wednesday, Santoso proposed forming an economic partnership or preferential trade agreement.
"We would like to push for immediately commencing bilateral agreement negotiations. Hence, we hope that the next Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meeting slated for this year will facilitate the two countries in forging a trade deal," he said in a statement on Thursday.
Santoso noted that Indonesia had prepared reference points for the discussions, encouraging both sides to start negotiations promptly.
At the first Indonesia–Egypt JTC meeting held last year in Jakarta, both countries agreed to pursue a trade deal to enhance bilateral ties and expand market access for their products.
Earlier, in April, President Prabowo Subianto and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi signed a Joint Declaration on the Indonesia–Egypt Strategic Partnership, paving the way for deeper cooperation in trade and investment.
GAFI CEO Heiba echoed Santoso's remarks, emphasizing the importance of a mutually beneficial trade agreement between the two nations.
He also noted that Egypt was paying close attention to Indonesia's halal standards and certification requirements for imports, to facilitate smoother exports to Indonesia next year.
Heiba further suggested cooperation on halal certification and mutual recognition to strengthen bilateral trade.
Total trade between Indonesia and Egypt reached US$1.74 billion in 2024, with Indonesia contributing US$1.53 billion in exports, mainly palm oil, coffee, and partially processed iron and steel.
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Translator: Maria C, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Anton Santoso
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