Indonesia-Morocco Strengthen Trade, PTA Negotiations Targeted to Continue in 2027

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Deputy Minister of Trade, Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, stated that Indonesia and Morocco have complementary economic strengths as both are located at the strategic crossroads of global trade routes. Indonesia serves as the gateway to the ASEAN market, which has a population of over 680 million, while Morocco is the gateway to Africa, Europe, and the Mediterranean region.

"Within ASEAN, Indonesia is Morocco's third-largest trading partner. Considering the economic size of both countries and their complementary markets, we believe there is still significant room to further expand trade and investment between Indonesia and Morocco," Roro explained during a meeting with Morocco's Deputy Foreign Trade Omar Hejira, Thursday, July 9, 2026.

Roro also welcomed the signing of the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) on Halal Product Assurance between the Indonesian Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH) and the Moroccan Institute of Normalization (IMANOR) in May 2026. The agreement is considered an important step to revive the stalled negotiations of the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).

"Indonesia hopes to reactivate the negotiations soon. The PTA and MRA on Halal Product Assurance will provide a strong foundation for deeper trust and closer cooperation between the business actors of both countries," she explained.

Meanwhile, Morocco's Deputy Foreign Trade, Omar Hejira welcomed the efforts to strengthen the economic relations between the two countries. Omar also invited Indonesian entrepreneurs to expand their wings to Morocco, considering that Morocco will be one of the hosts of the 2030 World Cup along with Spain and Portugal.

"We expect trade agreement negotiations to resume in early 2027. We also invite Indonesia to Marrakesh, one of the major trade cities, to see for themselves the situation in Morocco as a gateway to Africa," Omar said.

The Indonesia–Morocco PTA negotiations were launched on June 28, 2018, in Fes, Morocco. Most of the substance of the agreement has been agreed upon, but the negotiation process was delayed because both countries prioritized cooperation in the halal sector.

On that occasion, Indonesia also invited Moroccan entrepreneurs to participate in the Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) 2026, which will be held from October 14–18, 2026, at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) BSD, Tangerang, Banten. The exhibition themed The Ultimate Hub for Global Sourcing is expected to serve as a platform to expand market access for Indonesian export products.