By : Nedal Zubeidi
Jordan Daily – The Indonesian Embassy in Amman on Thursday hosted a seminar aimed at boosting trade and investment ties with Jordan, highlighting opportunities in commodities, tourism and manufacturing, as well as the potential of a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
The “Indonesian Business and Investment Seminar: Bridging Indonesia and Jordan Markets” featured speakers from Indonesia’s trade and investment promotion centers in the Gulf, who discussed regulatory updates, commodity exchanges and preparations for the 40th Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) scheduled for October 15-19, 2025.
Ambassador Ade Padmo Sarwono said the annual forum also served as a prelude to the TEI, which he described as Indonesia’s largest business-to-business exhibition. He stressed that Indonesia sought to expand economic ties not only with Jordan but also with Palestine.
“We are deeply saddened by the situation in Gaza. Let me use this opportunity to underline Indonesia’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause,” Sarwono said.
Bilateral trade between Indonesia and Jordan reached USD 921 million in 2024, down from USD 985.5 million the previous year, partly due to disruptions in the Bab al-Mandab strait, the envoy noted.
Sarwono added that Indonesia was also targeting growth in tourism cooperation. The embassy recently organized a tourism promotion event in Amman, attended by more than 20 Jordanian outbound travel agencies, to showcase destinations including Jakarta and Yogyakarta alongside Bali.
Shuhail Saidi, chairman of the Jordan-Indonesia Business Council, said Jordanian firms could benefit from Indonesia’s vast consumer base of more than 280 million people and its diverse manufacturing sector.
Saidi noted that Jordan and Indonesia already enjoy good trade relations. Indonesia, with its rich natural resources and agriculture, exports forest products like wood and paper, as well as palm oil, textiles, coffee, rubber, charcoal, aqua-tech and halal food.
“Helping factories move break-bulk cargo from small ports to big ports can be a big chance for investment to make transportation faster and cheaper,” he said.
Widy Haryono of the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center in Dubai outlined the services the agency provides in promoting Indonesian products, while Nova Herlangga Masrie, director of the Indonesia Investment Promotion Center in Abu Dhabi, briefed participants on Indonesia’s economic outlook and opportunities in sectors ranging from natural resources to infrastructure.
