Indonesia and Egypt Push for Economic Partnership Agreement

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi have called for the establishment of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and welcomed an initiative to create a Joint Investment Fund to expand bilateral trade and investment opportunities.

Speaking at a joint press statement with President El-Sisi at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Sunday, President Prabowo said the proposed EPA would create broader opportunities for market access, investment and business engagement between the two countries.

“We also agreed to strengthen cooperation in various fields, including the economy, especially trade and investment. To that end, we have pushed for the establishment of an Economic Partnership Agreement between Indonesia and Egypt,” Prabowo said.

He also welcomed an initiative by investment institutions from both countries to promote financing for strategic projects, describing closer economic cooperation as an important step towards deepening the Indonesia-Egypt strategic partnership.

The two leaders had agreed to advance their strategic partnership during Prabowo’s visit to Egypt in April 2025. The latest discussions reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation across multiple sectors.

In the marine and fisheries sector, Indonesia and Egypt agreed to strengthen collaboration in sustainable development, marine resource conservation and efforts to combat illegal fishing. The two countries will also promote the exchange of knowledge, technical expertise and best practices.

Defence cooperation is another key area of the expanding partnership. Both sides intend to enhance capacity-building through joint training and educational programmes, as well as exchange visits involving senior officials, leaders and experts.

The two countries also agreed to broaden educational cooperation through student exchange programmes, collaborative research and stronger partnerships between educational institutions.

President Prabowo expressed appreciation for Egypt’s offer to increase scholarship quotas for Indonesian students, particularly in medicine, engineering and science. The initiative is expected to create additional opportunities for Indonesian students to pursue higher education in these fields.

“These agreements demonstrate a shared commitment to continue strengthening the Indonesia-Egypt strategic partnership,” Prabowo said.

Describing President El-Sisi’s visit as an important opportunity to advance bilateral relations, Prabowo said the discussions had focused on identifying concrete measures to deepen cooperation and deliver tangible benefits to the people of both countries.

“With the long-standing spirit of solidarity and our shared commitment to deepening our strategic partnership, I am confident that our relations will grow stronger and provide tangible benefits to both nations and our people,” he stated.

The proposed Economic Partnership Agreement, the Joint Investment Fund initiative and expanded sectoral cooperation reflect the two countries’ efforts to strengthen economic engagement and broaden their longstanding bilateral partnership.