Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi arrived in Jakarta on Saturday, the final stop of his Asian tour, where he was welcomed with a fighter jet escort and a 21-gun salute. Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir stated that the visit aimed to strengthen strategic cooperation between the two countries. El-Sisi's visit reciprocates Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's trips to Egypt in 2024 and 2025. The countries elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership in April 2025.
During the visit, El-Sisi and Prabowo will sign agreements on visas, statistical cooperation, and fisheries, alongside an action plan to strengthen their strategic partnership. The Indonesian Foreign Minister stated that the visit's main purpose was to enhance cooperation between the two nations. El-Sisi's programme included a private meeting with Prabowo, bilateral talks, and the signing of memoranda of understanding. The agreements aim to boost cooperation in various fields and solidify the strategic partnership.
El-Sisi's Asian tour has included stops in South Korea and Malaysia, where he signed several agreements and established a strategic partnership with South Korea. In Seoul, El-Sisi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung launched negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The two sides signed memoranda of understanding on shipbuilding, clean energy, electricity infrastructure, and maritime cooperation. They also signed a social security agreement to ease duplicate pension contributions for workers posted between the two countries.
In Malaysia, El-Sisi and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim witnessed the exchange of four MoUs covering women's empowerment, higher education, tourism, and investment. The investment memorandum links Egypt's General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA). El-Sisi thanked Malaysia for its warm hospitality and expressed his commitment to strengthening ties between the two nations.
El-Sisi's visit to Indonesia was marked by a grand welcome ceremony at Merdeka Palace, where 1,300 schoolchildren participated. The Indonesian President and El-Sisi discussed various issues, including Palestine and Nile water security. Indonesia backed Egypt's Nile rights, and the two leaders reaffirmed their support for Palestinian statehood. They also targeted $5 billion in trade between the two countries.
The Indonesian Foreign Minister stated that his country supports Egypt's rights to the Nile River and stressed the importance of maintaining water security. El-Sisi and Prabowo also discussed ways to enhance cooperation in various fields, including economy, trade, and investment. The two leaders expressed their commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership and boosting bilateral cooperation.
El-Sisi concluded his visit to Indonesia by thanking the Indonesian government for its warm hospitality and pledging closer partnership between the two nations. The visit resulted in several agreements and MoUs, aiming to solidify the strategic partnership between Egypt and Indonesia. The two countries target $5 billion in trade and reaffirmed their support for Palestinian statehood and Nile water security.
Key points
- Egypt and Indonesia plan to sign agreements on visas, statistics, and fisheries during El-Sisi's visit to Jakarta.
- El-Sisi and Prabowo target $5 billion in trade between the two countries.
- Indonesia backs Egypt's Nile rights, and the two leaders reaffirm their support for Palestinian statehood.
