Industry Ministry Targets Stronger Indonesian Manufacturing Exports to Mediterranean

The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) is targeting stronger exports of Indonesian manufactured products to the Mediterranean and North Africa through a trade cooperation exploration with Morocco.

Deputy Minister of Industry Faisol Riza stated that the effort involves pushing for the establishment of a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to reduce tariff barriers and enhance the competitiveness of national industry. “Morocco holds a strategic position as a gateway to North Africa and the Mediterranean region. We see a great opportunity to leverage this advantage to expand access for Indonesian industrial products to regional markets, while strengthening partnerships in future industrial sectors such as aerospace, the halal industry, pharmaceuticals, and new renewable energy,” he said in a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Beyond expanding exports, the cooperation is directed at securing supplies of strategic industrial raw materials such as phosphate and aluminium. The diplomatic relationship between Indonesia and Morocco, established since 1956, serves as a foundation for strengthening this economic partnership.

Bilateral trade potential is supported by rising Indonesian exports to Morocco, including manufactured products, vegetable oils, rubber and its derivatives, footwear, textiles, machinery, and electrical equipment. To further advance cooperation, the Ministry of Industry has invited the Moroccan government to accelerate the finalisation of a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) on Halal Certification, which is expected to be signed in May 2026. The agreement aims to facilitate the entry of Indonesian halal products into the Moroccan market without repeated certification processes, while also opening investment opportunities and developing the halal industry in both countries.