Inbizzy, Ottawa, – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto conducted an official visit to Canada, marking a significant step forward in bilateral relations. The visit, though brief, delivered tangible outcomes through high-level meetings with Governor General Mary Simon and Prime Minister Mark Carney, culminating in the signing of strategic agreements in trade, defense, and business connectivity.
Meeting with Governor General Mary Simon
President Prabowo began his visit at Rideau Hall, where he was warmly welcomed by Governor General Mary Simon. The meeting highlighted the deep respect Canada extends to Indonesia, reflecting strong diplomatic ties.
Both leaders reaffirmed shared values of democracy, pluralism, and multiculturalism. They also emphasized the importance of enhancing people-to-people contact across education, culture, and economic exchange, which are expected to strengthen long-term bilateral cooperation.
Tete-a-tete with Prime Minister Mark Carney
Later at Parliament Hill, President Prabowo held a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney. Prabowo expressed appreciation for the opportunity despite his tight schedule and underlined Indonesia–Canada’s longstanding friendship.
He highlighted Canada’s role as a responsible Western power with strong empathy for global development issues, including contributions in health, agriculture, fisheries, and peacekeeping missions.
“Canada is a responsible and mature Western power with great empathy for global development issues,” said President Prabowo.
Signing of Strategic Agreements
A central outcome of the visit was the signing of three key agreements:
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Indonesia–Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (ICA-CEPA)
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Provides legal certainty, expands market access, and strengthens investment protection.
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Canada commits to eliminating 90.5% of tariffs on Indonesian products, while Indonesia liberalizes 85.8% of tariff lines.
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Projected to boost Indonesia’s exports to Canada to USD 11.8 billion by 2030, add 0.12% to national GDP, and increase investment by 0.38%.
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Includes cooperation on SMEs, digital marketplaces, sustainable trade, and intellectual property rights.
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Defense Cooperation MoU
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Signed between Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense and Canada’s Department of National Defense.
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Covers regular defense dialogues, defense industry collaboration, and Canadian participation in the joint exercise Super Garuda Shield.
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Business-to-Business MoU (KADIN–Business Council of Canada)
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Aims to strengthen private-sector collaboration in trade and investment.
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Complements ICA-CEPA by building direct connections between Indonesian and Canadian businesses.
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Reflecting on the process, Prabowo noted:
“We studied 9,000 pages of the agreement documents. We stayed up all night. But in the end, we succeeded in bringing this historic agreement home to Indonesia.”
Warm Welcome from Prime Minister Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney described the visit as historic, emphasizing ICA-CEPA as Canada’s first bilateral trade agreement with an ASEAN country.
“This is the right deal, at the right time, with the right partner. It is Canada’s largest export market in Southeast Asia,” said Carney.
He also underscored the importance of defense and security cooperation for regional stability, while praising Prabowo’s recent UN General Assembly speech as powerful and inspiring.
Strengthening Future Cooperation
President Prabowo’s visit to Canada, though short, marked a milestone in Indonesia–Canada relations. Through enhanced cooperation in trade, defense, and people-to-people exchanges, both nations reaffirmed their commitment to building inclusive prosperity and addressing global challenges together.
