As 2026 begins, Indonesia and Tunisia look to move ties forward |
As the calendar turned to 2026, Indonesia and Tunisia ushered in the new year with the launch of Diplomacy Briefing 2026 in Tunis — a series of planned engagements and priorities set by Indonesia’s embassy intended to guide bilateral relations over the next twelve months. While the event itself was modest in scale, its timing and content reflect a conscious effort by both countries to sustain and, where possible, deepen ties across economic, cultural, and educational spheres.
This diplomatic roadmap comes against a backdrop of nearly seven decades of formal relations. Indonesia was among the first countries in Asia to recognize Tunisia’s independence in the mid-20th century, and the two nations have maintained steady albeit low-profile engagement ever since. Recent activities, however, suggest that both governments see value in expanding this partnership beyond historic sentiment into areas of practical cooperation.
One of the most concrete developments from the past year has been progress toward a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) slated for signature in January 2026. Indonesian authorities have indicated that this pact, which is already finalized and ready for endorsement, would ease tariffs and other trade barriers on selected goods exchanged between Jakarta and Tunis. It is designed to improve market access for agricultural and food products such as palm oil and frozen fish from Indonesia, and crustaceans and dates from Tunisia.
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