Indonesia to evaluate CEPA with Australia: Minister Hartarto
Antara News - 15 May 2025
Indonesia to evaluate CEPA with Australia: Minister Hartarto
Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has said that the central government will evaluate its Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Australia.
After accompanying President Prabowo Subianto to a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Jakarta on Thursday, Hartarto informed that the CEPA—signed by the two countries in 2020—has entered the evaluation period.
"In five years, CEPA must be evaluated, and this year is the time," he said.
During the evaluation, Indonesia plans to include new strategic issues, such as cooperation in the field of critical minerals, he informed.
According to the minister, Australia has lithium and manganese resources. Currently, Indonesia imports around 80 thousand tons of lithium from Australia, which is then processed at an industrial area in Morowali, Central Sulawesi.
In addition, discussions on critical minerals covered by the CEPA will also be related to the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem in the country.
Hartarto said that after the CEPA signing in 2020, trade between the two countries has increased by 100 percent.
He then highlighted Australia’s support for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program.
Australia will also back Indonesia’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTTP) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), he said.
On Thursday, President Prabowo received an official visit from PM Albanese at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.
According to the head of state, Albanese’s visit is expected to increase cooperation in several sectors—bilateral, regional, and global.
Prabowo said that bilateral cooperation will continue to be strengthened in the fields of trade, defense, education, and clean energy transition.
He noted that the cooperative relationship between Indonesia and Australia is becoming increasingly important, especially amid global economic uncertainty.
During their meeting, he extended his congratulations on Albanese’s re-election.
"I would also like to personally congratulate you on your re-election as the prime minister of Australia and your party’s historic victory in the parliamentary election," Prabowo said.
