Indonesia-Swiss Deepen Ties With MoU on Mineral and Metal Downstreaming

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia's drive to build a higher-value industrial sector received a boost after Indonesia and Switzerland signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on mineral and metal downstream cooperation during Industry Day 2026 in Basel on Tuesday, June 23.

Indonesian Ambassador to Switzerland Ngurah Swajaya, who initialed the document alongside Swiss State Secretary SECO Ambassador Andrea Rauber Saxer, said the agreement strengthens bilateral ties toward a more strategic partnership.

“Indonesia and Switzerland share similar characteristics. Both countries, in line with their foreign policy principles, can communicate and cooperate with all nations while upholding common values such as multilateralism and international law,” he said, as quoted by Antara.

Ngurah added that Indonesia is a potential partner for Switzerland in reinforcing industrial supply chains, while Swiss investment could help build Indonesia’s industrial ecosystem in line with the “Indonesia Emas 2045” vision.

“Swiss investment will strengthen Indonesia’s industrial ecosystem as the country advances toward becoming a leading industrial nation,” he said.

The cooperation follows Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin’s visit to Jakarta in October 2025, where he met with Indonesian Minister of Investment and Downstreaming Rosan Roeslani.

Parmelin underscored the importance of diversifying supply chains amid global geopolitical shifts. “Geopolitical dynamics require Switzerland to diversify, particularly to strengthen industrial resilience by working with non-traditional partners such as Indonesia within ASEAN,” he explained.

SwissMEM President Martin Hirzel, organizer of Industry Day, emphasized that the strength of the bilateral relationship lies in complementarity rather than competition.

The partnership builds on a foundation of international agreements, including the Indonesia–EFTA Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the Bilateral Investment Treaty, and cooperation in mineral and metal processing.

With the theme “Trust, Innovation, Partnership,” the Industry Day event celebrated 75 years of Indonesia-Switzerland diplomatic relations, highlighting shared commitment to trust, innovation, and equal partnership. Officials said these values will continue to inspire future cooperation between the two nations. ***