Minister Ng strengthens trade relations with Indonesia during Team Canada trade mission

From: Global Affairs Canada

News release

December 4, 2024 - Jakarta, Indonesia - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, has concluded her visit to Indonesia, the first stop of the largest ever Team Canada Trade Mission to Indonesia and the Philippines. The mission, a key initiative under Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, opened doors to an important market for a diverse group of Canadian exporters and innovators.

With a young population and an economy that has quickly expanded over the past decade, Indonesia offers exciting opportunities for Canadian businesses. In Jakarta, Minister Ng engaged with more than 300 representatives of over 190 organizations working in a variety of sectors in which Canada has proven expertise, including agriculture and processed foods, clean energy and technologies, information and communication technologies and infrastructure.  

Minister Ng and Budi Santoso, Indonesia’s Minister of Trade, kicked off the trade mission by announcing the conclusion of negotiations of the Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). This important milestone in Canada’s long-standing relationship with Indonesia will provide further opportunities for Canadian businesses in one of the Indo-Pacific’s largest and most dynamic markets and help create well-paying jobs for middle-class Canadians.

As part of the Canada-Indonesia CEPA, Minister Ng signed two MOUs between the governments of Canada and Indonesia:

  • on Critical Mineral Cooperation
  • on the Establishment of a Bilateral Dialogue on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Issues

While in Jakarta, Minister Ng also witnessed the signing of multiple memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between Canadian and Indonesian companies. These MOUs exemplify the successful efforts of Team Canada Trade Missions in promoting internation trade and business connections in the Indo-Pacific region, resulting in more and better jobs for Canadians.

MOUs were signed between the following organizations:

  • JBS Foods Canada and Indoguna Utama
  • Proto Global Ltd. and TÜV NORD Indonesia
  • the Business Council of Canada and the Indonesian Business Council
  • The Business Council and the Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO)
  • The Canada-ASEAN Business Council and the ASEAN Centre for Energy
  • Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN)

While leading and participating in several business events during the trade mission, Minister Ng heard from members of the private and public sectors on how everyone benefits from inclusive trade and acting sustainably. This is an important aspect of the free trade agreement negotiations between Canada and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). She highlighted Canada’s ability to increase the efficiency and reliability of Indonesia’s energy system to help fight climate change, a shared priority for both countries. As an example, Canada is collaborating with the World Bank and ASEAN to connect 2 million people to the electrical grid in eastern Indonesia, scale up solar power investments and lower the cost of power generation in eastern Indonesia.

Minister Ng spoke with young women leaders at BINUS University, a leading private business university in Indonesia. She heard first-person accounts of Indonesian women’s experiences in their careers in business and trade. The minster also spoke about the importance of having women in leadership roles.

Minister Ng held bilateral meetings with several new cabinet ministers appointed after the inauguration of Prabowo Subianto as president of Indonesia in October 2024. Topics of discussion included the conclusion of negotiations for the Canada-Indonesia CEPA, progress in ASEAN-Canada free trade agreement negotiations and Canada’s support for Indonesia’s economic growth and energy transition. 

Quotes

“Over the last 3 days, I saw representatives of Canadian businesses from a range of sectors make new connections and expand their businesses’ networks in Indonesia. This successful mission, our largest, was part of our efforts to build on Canada’s strong economic ties with Indonesia and help Canadian companies establish productive links in the Indo-Pacific region, something that is good for Canadian jobs and prosperity.”

- Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development

Quick facts

  • The Indo-Pacific is Canada’s second-largest regional export market after the United States. In 2023, yearly 2-way merchandise trade between Canada and the region was valued at $257 billion.

  • Launched in November 2022, Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy is creating opportunities to expand trade and investment, grow good jobs and build supply chain resilience.

  • In 2023, Indonesia was Canada’s 22nd-largest trading partner worldwide and third-largest among Southeast Asian countries. 

  • In 2023, 2-way merchandise trade between Canada and Indonesia was valued at $5.1 billion. Canadian merchandise exports to Indonesia were valued at $2.3 billion, making it Canada’s largest export market in ASEAN.  

  • In September 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Paul Thoppil, Canada’s first Indo-Pacific Trade Representative (CIPTR). The CIPTR’s office is based in Jakarta, Indonesia. The location underscores the emerging importance of Indonesia as a regional hub and demonstrates Canada’s vision to diversify its and expand its representation in the Indo-Pacific.

  • Team Canada trade missions help Canadian exporters and innovators expand into, and diversify their international business portfolios and reach in, the region, strengthening their supply chains and facilitating long-term trade and investment opportunities that contribute to the growth of the Canadian economy.

  • Canadian participants gain direct benefits from these missions, such as acquiring market intelligence, gaining access to key local interlocutors and having increased visibility and an increased profile in the market. Canadian businesses have scored a number of quick successes and produced promising outcomes through their participation in past missions. These include the signing of MOUs, as well as the securing of sales contracts and new strategic partnerships and the establishment of local representation.

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Contacts

Huzaif Qaisar
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development
343-575-8816
Huzaif.Qaisar@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
media@international.gc.ca
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