Indonesia and Croatia Agree to Accelerate Migrant Worker Deal
Indonesia and Croatia have agreed to accelerate the finalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the placement of Indonesian migrant workers in the hospitality sector, according to a statement from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta on Saturday (27/6).
The understanding emerged during a meeting between Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister M. Anis Matta and State Secretary at the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Frano Matušić, as part of the deputy minister’s working visit to Croatia from 24 to 27 June 2026.
During the meeting, both parties discussed strengthening cooperation in various sectors, including trade and investment, education, digitalisation, tourism, the defence industry, and Croatian support for Indonesia’s interests within the European Union region.
Indonesia also proposed several concrete measures, including the establishment of a regular business forum, the development of integrated religious tourism packages, the utilisation of the Port of Rijeka as a logistics route, and film industry collaboration involving creative industry players from both countries.
In addition to the memorandum of understanding regarding migrant workers, Croatia’s support for Indonesia’s accession process to the OECD and the completion of the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA) was also discussed, along with a shared commitment to expanding economic and educational cooperation.
Both parties also exchanged views on the development of Indonesia–European Union relations and the importance of collaboration among developing and middle-power countries in maintaining international stability amid global uncertainty.
In addition to holding the bilateral meeting, the Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister represented the Indonesian Foreign Minister at the Dubrovnik Forum 2026, which carried the theme ‘The Age of Multipolarity: Many Directions, One Future’.
The forum, now in its 20th year, serves as a platform for leaders and policymakers to discuss geopolitical challenges, international security, economic resilience, and the future of multilateral cooperation.
During the same visit, the Deputy Foreign Minister also paid a courtesy call to the Grand Mufti of Croatia, Aziz Effendi Hasanović, at the Islamic Centre Zagreb. The meeting discussed global geopolitical developments, the state of the Islamic world, strengthening Muslim community networks, and the importance of interfaith dialogue and religious moderation.