Jakarta. Swiss Vice President Guy Parmelin visited Indonesia from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3, to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries ahead of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026.

Bernardino M. Vega, Vice Chair for International Relations at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), described Parmelin’s visit as a “new milestone” in the Indonesia – Switzerland partnership.

“This business forum strengthens the implementation of the Indonesia–EFTA Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) while complementing broader efforts to deepen bilateral trade and investment,” Bernardino said on Friday.

Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation in key areas such as reducing trade barriers, green trade, renewable energy development, and circular economy practices. Other priorities included innovation, digital transformation, MSME collaboration, and human capital development.

“Indonesia and Switzerland are aligned in building an economic relationship grounded in sustainability, innovation, and shared prosperity,” Bernardino added.

For Switzerland, diversifying trade partners has become increasingly urgent. The country has faced higher tariffs from the United States in recent years, pushing Swiss businesses to look for new markets. Much like the European Union, Switzerland found smoother ground with Indonesia after the Trump-era tariff disputes accelerated momentum for the CEPA deal. Analysts note that this shift presents Indonesia with a rare opening to position itself as a strategic trade ally for Switzerland in Asia.

As part of Parmelin’s visit, Kadin Indonesia and the Swiss-Asian Chamber of Commerce (SACC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand business networks and strengthen bilateral economic ties. The program also featured the Annual Joint Economic and Trade Council (JETC) and the 4th Annual Meeting of the Swiss-Indonesian Trade and Sustainability Council, held in Jakarta on Tuesday.

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