EABC, Indonesia explore East Africa–ASEAN trade links

June 28, 2025 in Business, Trade & Industry by Editor

Arusha, Tanzania | June 27, 2025

The East African Business Council (EABC) has hosted a high-level delegation from Indonesia to explore deeper trade and investment ties between the East African Community (EAC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with a focus on reducing trade imbalances and encouraging bilateral private sector collaboration.

Led by H.E. Tri Yogo Jatmiko, Indonesia’s Ambassador accredited to the EAC, the delegation held talks at the EABC Secretariat in Arusha, highlighting the potential to strengthen commercial ties between the two regions. Indonesia, with a population of over 280 million and the largest economy in ASEAN, exported goods worth USD 600 million to the EAC while EAC exports stood at just USD 200 million—a disparity both sides now seek to address.

“We see opportunities to balance this trade equation through structured cooperation, increased private sector engagement, and improved market access for East African goods,” said Ambassador Jatmiko.

EABC Acting Executive Director Adrian Njau welcomed the engagement and underscored the council’s readiness to work with Indonesian private sector associations to facilitate investment and promote regional economic integration. “There is substantial untapped potential. By strengthening business verification processes, promoting technology transfer, and creating platforms for direct trade dialogue, we can build long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships,” Njau said.

He invited Indonesian firms to participate in the upcoming East African Business and Investment Summit & Expo 2025, to be held in Nairobi on October 16–17. The event will serve as a key opportunity for Indonesian businesses to assess opportunities in agribusiness, manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure development across the region.

Indonesia’s growing presence in East Africa is already evident through strategic investments, including a $1.4 billion urea fertilizer plant under development in Mtwara, Tanzania. The plant is expected to produce one million tonnes annually, contributing significantly to regional fertilizer security and reducing reliance on imports.

To institutionalise cooperation, both parties explored the formation of a joint working group, business-to-business partnerships, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalise ties between EABC and relevant Indonesian trade organizations.

Additional areas of cooperation under discussion include knowledge sharing on regional economic integration, leveraging Indonesia’s experience within ASEAN; strengthening market access mechanisms for EAC exports to Indonesia; and the promotion of Indonesian technological solutions in agriculture, mining, and value-added manufacturing.

Ambassador Jatmiko was joined by senior officials from Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Dewi Justica Meidiwaty, Director of African Affairs; Yully Yudhantari Saputri, Second Secretary; and Michael Bastian Supit, First Secretary from the Indonesian Embassy.

The EABC says it remains committed to championing strategic trade partnerships that align with the region’s industrialisation and export diversification goals, as the EAC seeks to expand its footprint beyond traditional markets.