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Agadir – Morocco is stepping up efforts to deepen its economic footprint in Southeast Asia, with Secretary of State for Foreign Trade Omar Hejira holding a series of high-level meetings in Jakarta to strengthen trade and investment ties with Indonesia and expand cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Held on Friday as part of Hejira’s official visit to Indonesia, the meetings focused on promoting investment, facilitating market access, and creating new opportunities for Moroccan businesses across one of the world’s fastest-growing economic regions.
According to a statement from the State Secretariat for Foreign Trade, the visit forms part of the implementation of Morocco’s Foreign Trade Program 2025-2027 and reflects “the continuous dynamics experienced by Moroccan-Indonesian relations” as well as the shared ambition to elevate bilateral economic cooperation.
Strengthening business ties
During an expanded meeting with officials from the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN), Hejira discussed ways to reinforce cooperation between Moroccan and Indonesian business communities by encouraging cross-investment and increasing trade missions between the two countries.
The meeting brought together business leaders and private sector representatives from both countries, alongside Morocco’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Redouane Houssaini.
Discussions also explored investment opportunities in several strategic sectors, including agri-food industries, fertilizers, energy and renewable energy, logistics, textiles, and pharmaceuticals.
Addressing Indonesian business leaders, Hejira emphasized Morocco’s growing role as a regional investment hub.
“The Kingdom of Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, has become a strategic platform for investment, production and export to Africa and Europe, thanks to its distinctive geographical location, network of trade agreements, and modern infrastructure,” the Secretary of State said in the statement.
Halal certification cooperation
The Moroccan delegation also met with officials from Indonesia’s Halal Products Guarantee Agency (BPJPH), which oversees halal certification and supports exports to Muslim-majority markets.
Talks centered on implementing the mutual recognition agreement for halal certificates between Morocco and Indonesia, a move expected to facilitate the entry of Moroccan products into the Indonesian market while enhancing their competitiveness, particularly in the agri-food, agricultural, and cosmetics sectors.
The two sides agreed to organize a working visit to Morocco next September by the head of BPJPH, who is expected to meet representatives of Morocco’s private sector and the Moroccan Institute for Standardisation (IMANOR), the national body responsible for issuing the Halal Morocco label.
The visit is expected to strengthen coordination, encourage the exchange of expertise, and deepen bilateral cooperation in halal certification.
Expanding engagement with ASEAN
Hejira also held talks with ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Satvinder Singh to discuss expanding economic and trade cooperation between Morocco and the regional bloc, of which the Kingdom is a sectoral dialogue partner.
The discussions focused on investment promotion, trade development, regional value chains, the green economy, and logistics connectivity.
According to the statement, these initiatives aim to increase trade between Morocco and ASEAN member states while leveraging the economic potential of a regional market of nearly 700 million people and Morocco’s strategic position as a gateway to Africa and Europe.
Morocco also received an official invitation to participate in the Investment Summit that the Philippines will host in November 2026.
