Indonesia and Morocco Resuming Trade Talks
Indonesia is setting its sights on finalizing a comprehensive trade agreement with Morocco by the year 2027, as announced by its Ministry of Trade on Friday. This announcement comes as both nations have resumed discussions that had been dormant since 2019. The initial negotiations for a preferential trade agreement commenced in June 2018; however, they faced delays primarily due to the absence of mutual recognition regarding halal standards between the two countries.
Significant progress was made in May when Indonesia's halal certification agency, BPJPH, and Morocco's national standards organization, IMANOR, signed a mutual recognition agreement. This pivotal development has paved the way for trade officials to restart their negotiations. The Indonesian Ministry of Trade has expressed optimism, stating, "Indonesia is ready for constructive cooperation with Morocco to accelerate this negotiation process." Dyah Roro Esti, the Deputy Trade Minister of Indonesia, emphasized the importance of seizing this momentum as an opportunity to transform the countries' robust political relationships into tangible and sustainable economic advantages.
Deputy Minister Roro highlighted that certain Indonesian products, including anhydrous ammonia, palm oil, and frozen shrimp, possess significant unrealized export potential within the Moroccan market. She also pointed out Morocco's strategic role as a vital gateway for Indonesian goods to access not only African markets but also those in Europe and the Mediterranean. In the spirit of fostering collaboration, Roro and her Moroccan counterpart, Omar Hejira, discussed the possibility of establishing a task force dedicated to expediting these discussions.
As the largest economy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is positioned to be Morocco’s primary partner and a key entry point for exploring markets across the ASEAN region and the broader Indo-Pacific area. Last month, Hejira visited Jakarta for a series of high-level meetings aimed at enhancing economic cooperation and promoting investment opportunities between Indonesia and Morocco. According to Indonesian government data, the trade volume between Indonesia and Morocco was valued at approximately $235 million in 2025, reflecting a substantial 33 percent increase compared to the previous year. Furthermore, during the first five months of 2026, bilateral trade reached about $180 million.
As reported by arabnews.com.
