Indonesia Rushes to Seal EU Trade Deal
President Prabowo Subianto has ordered officials to accelerate the Indonesia-EU trade agreement before Indonesia loses EU tariff preferences in January 2027. “The President wants the Indonesia-EU CEPA to be completed as soon as possible,” Coordinating Economy Minister Airlangga Hartarto said. Without the deal, some Indonesian exports could face tariff increases of 5% to 20%. The agreement would remove or reduce duties on most trade between Indonesia and the EU, benefiting products such as palm oil, textiles, machinery and automobiles. Both sides are now working to complete ratification so the pact can take effect in early 2027. (Jakarta Post)
Prabowo Skips UNGA
Citing domestic concerns, President Prabowo did not attend September’s UN General Assembly. Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono spoke in his stead, arguing for what he called “resilient multilateralism”—a UN-centered international system that can actually deliver results rather than merely issue declarations. Indonesia presented itself as a pragmatic Global South middle power—nonaligned, supportive of ASEAN and the UN, strongly pro-Palestinian, and arguing that international institutions will lose legitimacy unless they produce tangible results.