Indonesia’s Deputy Trade Minister Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri held talks with Timor-Leste’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Filipus Nino Pereira, on strengthening bilateral trade collaboration. The meeting on July 11 saw discussions around a Technical Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU TCTS), Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN—with Indonesia pledging capacity-building programs during 2025–2026—and efforts to remove barriers affecting Indonesian exports. The ministries also explored joint ventures in marble manufacturing and coffee ventures, capitalizing on Indonesia’s rich coffee variety to boost exports to Timor-Leste. Planning is underway for participation in the Dili International Trade Expo (August 28–September 1, 2025) and Trade Expo Indonesia (October 15–19, 2025) to enhance business linkages.
During a business forum following the bilateral meeting, Deputy Minister Roro highlighted that trade between the two nations reached USD 391.34 million in 2024, growing annually by 15.6%, with Indonesian exports hitting USD 117.08 million in the first four months of 2025—a year‑on‑year rise of 11%. Top export items include motor vehicles, palm oil, processed foods, cement, pharmaceuticals, and daily consumer goods. Both sides agreed on the high potential of Timor‑Leste’s market and pledged to continue fostering business connections to harness future opportunities.
