Jakarta, October 11, 2026 – Indonesia and Egypt on Sunday pledged to deepen their strategic partnership through expanded cooperation in trade, investment, defense, maritime affairs and education.

The commitment was announced by President Prabowo Subianto during a joint press statement after welcoming Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the Merdeka Palace, marking a new phase in strategic relations between the two countries.

El-Sisi’s visit to Jakarta is his first in 11 years, reciprocating Prabowo’s state visit to Cairo in 2025, where the two leaders signed a Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership.

During the meeting, both leaders underscored the importance of turning their strategic partnership into concrete cooperation that delivers tangible benefits for their peoples, particularly through expanded economic, trade and investment ties.

“We have encouraged the establishment of an Economic Partnership Agreement between Indonesia and Egypt to broaden market access, investment opportunities, and business engagement between the two countries,” Prabowo said.

Indonesia and Egypt have maintained strong bilateral trade ties, with trade reaching USD 2.38 billion (approximately Rp 42.5 trillion) in 2025, including an Indonesian trade surplus of approximately USD 1.50 billion (approximately Rp 26.8 trillion).

In the first half of 2026, bilateral trade reached USD 1.74 billion (approximately Rp 31 trillion), further underscoring the economic significance of their longstanding trade relations.

Indonesia’s exports to Egypt include vegetable oils, coffee, tea, spices, electrical machinery, inorganic chemicals, and aluminum. Meanwhile, imports from Egypt include fertilizers, salt, sulfur, lime, fruits, vegetables and metal ores.

Given the significance of these economic ties, the two countries are also working to establish a Joint Investment Fund between Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund, Danantara, and The Sovereign Fund of Egypt (TSFE) to support investment in strategic projects.

“I also welcome the initiative to establish a Joint Investment Fund between the investment institutions of our two countries to promote investment in strategic projects,” Prabowo added.

In defense, the two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in the defense industry and capacity-building through education, joint exercises and exchanges between military leaders and experts.

“I express my gratitude and appreciation for Egypt’s support in assisting and facilitating the needs of Indonesian Navy vessels deployed on United Nations peacekeeping missions in the Middle East,” Prabowo said.

In July 2025, Indonesia and Egypt also established a defense working group to translate ministerial discussions into specific cooperation programs and identify next steps for proposed initiatives.

The working group is intended to provide a practical framework for sustained defense cooperation, translating both governments’ broader commitment to their strategic partnership into concrete, mutually agreed activities.

Beyond government-to-government ties, Indonesia and Egypt are also seeking to strengthen people-to-people relations, particularly through education.

Egypt hosts a significant number of Indonesian students, while Indonesia’s longstanding educational ties with Al-Azhar University are reflected in the teaching of Indonesian language and literature at the institution.

Prabowo also called for more opportunities for Indonesian students to study in Egypt and encouraged Egyptian educational institutions to expand their presence in Indonesia by sending lecturers and educators.

“Going forward, Indonesia is ready to expand educational cooperation through student exchanges, university partnerships, joint research, and the exploration of other areas of collaboration,” Prabowo said.

“We express our gratitude and appreciation for Egypt’s offer of additional scholarships, particularly in medicine, engineering, and science,” he added.

In addition, the two countries will maintain regular high-level political consultations and strengthen maritime and fisheries cooperation, including sustainable development, marine conservation, combating illegal fishing, and knowledge exchange.

The two leaders also exchanged views on Palestine, reaffirming Indonesia and Egypt’s support for Palestinian self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Furthermore, both countries underscored the need for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and safe humanitarian access.

“Indonesia and Egypt remain committed to contributing to peace efforts and providing immediate humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people, including supporting the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza,” Prabowo said.

El-Sisi, meanwhile, highlighted Indonesia’s importance as a strategic partner, citing longstanding historical ties with Egypt’s early recognition of Indonesia’s independence and establishment of diplomatic relations in 1947.

He particularly underscored the importance of deepening economic ties to unlock the full potential of bilateral cooperation.

“We agreed to give special attention to economic and business cooperation, making the most of the considerable capabilities of both countries and working to increase bilateral trade to USD 5 billion (approximately Rp 89.4 trillion) by 2030 by continuing efforts to remove existing barriers,” El-Sisi said.

He also expressed his hope for greater business presence in both countries, with Egyptian companies expanding into Indonesia and Indonesian companies entering the Egyptian market. He further highlighted Egypt’s potential as a gateway for Indonesian businesses to access markets across the Arab world, Africa, and beyond.

“We are committed to continuing our cooperation to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood, friendship, and mutual understanding between our peoples,” El-Sisi said.