Antara News·Indonesia·Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 05:45 AM UTC

Indonesia eyes export expansion in six West African nations

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Uyu Septiyati Liman

South Tangerang, Banten (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is assisting domestic businesses in exploring and capitalizing on export opportunities across six West African countries: Senegal, Guinea, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Mali, and Côte d'Ivoire.

In collaboration with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin Indonesia), the Indonesian Embassy in Dakar brought representatives from 44 West African companies to meet Indonesian business players at the "Indonesia-West Africa Business Meeting and B2B Networking" event here on Friday.

Aris Triyono, a senior advisor to the director of African affairs at the ministry’s Directorate General for Asia, Pacific, and Africa, highlighted the region's immense trade potential, supported by a consumer base of roughly 300 million people.

He also pointed to the region’s growing economic integration under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a bloc established in 1975 that currently comprises 12 member nations.

"West Africa has been a great partner for Indonesia, particularly in the healthcare, agriculture, and energy sectors," Triyono said.

In healthcare, Indonesian state-owned pharmaceutical firm PT Bio Farma has maintained a strategic partnership with Senegal’s biomedical research foundation, Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD), since 2019.

Triyono noted that while cooperation has primarily centered on capacity building, both parties are now exploring joint vaccine development.

On bilateral trade frameworks, he noted that Indonesia already holds a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Mozambique and is negotiating a similar deal with Rwanda.

Indonesia hopes to establish similar agreements with West African nations to support its existing exports to the region, which include palm oil, agricultural machinery, rubber, and tires.

The initiative aligns with Jakarta’s broader strategy to expand into non-traditional markets beyond its conventional trading partners in Asia, Europe, and North America, aiming to diversify trade and boost export value.

"I am very pleased to see this partnership gain strong momentum recently, both at the government-to-government and business-to-business levels," Triyono said.

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