Indonesia, Egypt Agree to Further Bolster Bilateral Trade

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan said that Indonesia and Egypt agreed to further boost their intensive bilateral trade activities.

"Indonesia and Egypt can further step up their trade relations. The two countries have maintained diplomatic ties for a long time, which serve as a potent foundation for intensified trade cooperation," Hasan noted in his office's statement on Wednesday.

During a meeting with Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Ahmed Samir Saleh in Istanbul, Turkey, on Tuesday (June 11), Hasan echoed Indonesia's readiness to host the Indonesia-Egypt Joint Trade Committee meeting scheduled for July in Bali.

He reiterated that Egypt is an important African non-traditional trading partner for Indonesia.

In that context, the minister stated that Indonesia could help Egypt penetrate the ASEAN market. At the same time, the African country could facilitate Indonesian products to reach markets in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

Between January and April 2024, the total value of bilateral trade between Indonesia and Egypt was recorded at US$474 million. Meanwhile, last year's total value stood at US$1.51 billion, with Indonesia experiencing a surplus of over US$1 billion.

During the bilateral meeting, the two trade ministers also drew attention to the dire humanitarian crisis currently befalling Palestinians in the Gaza Strip caused by Israeli occupation forces' aggression.

Minister Saleh commended Indonesia for its persistent role and contribution to humanitarian actions in Palestine.

He also affirmed that Egypt and Indonesia are on the same page about the need for member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to invest even greater efforts to help the Palestinian people.

ANTARA

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