Indonesia and Croatia Pledge Stronger Economic Ties and Mutual OECD Support

Diplomatic Meeting Bolsters Bilateral Relations

Indonesia and Croatia have formally committed to strengthening their economic cooperation and offering mutual support for each other's aspirations to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This significant pledge emerged from a bilateral meeting held in Jakarta on Monday, November 10, 2025, between Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman.

The discussions underscored the strategic importance of both nations, with Croatia, as a member of the European Union, being recognized as a key partner for ASEAN.

Expanding Economic Cooperation and Trade

A central theme of the meeting was the expansion of economic ties. Ministers highlighted the recently concluded Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA) in September, which positions Croatia as a potential gateway for Indonesian exports into the European market. Both countries expressed a commitment to increasing their bilateral trade volume, which reached US$144.8 million in 2024.

Key areas identified for enhanced collaboration include:

• Energy transition
• Digital economy
• Manufacturing
• Agriculture
• Downstream industries

Furthermore, Indonesia has expressed its readiness to supply skilled workers to meet Croatia's labor demands, with the Indonesian Foreign Ministry coordinating efforts to prepare its workforce for international opportunities. The two nations also aim to foster greater people-to-people exchanges through initiatives in education, culture, and tourism, including providing opportunities for Indonesian students to pursue studies in Croatia. The growing halal industry was also a point of discussion, with Croatia viewing Indonesia as a crucial partner for halal certification and market expansion in Europe.

Mutual Support for OECD Accession

Both Indonesia and Croatia are actively pursuing full membership in the OECD, an intergovernmental organization dedicated to stimulating economic progress and world trade. Their mutual support for these bids was a prominent aspect of the recent discussions.

Indonesia's Path to OECD Membership

Indonesia, an OECD Key Partner since 2007, became the first accession candidate country from Southeast Asia when the OECD Council decided to open accession discussions on February 20, 2024. The nation aims to achieve full membership by 2027. A significant step in this process was the submission of its Initial Memorandum (IM) to OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann during the 2025 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting. This comprehensive document serves as a self-assessment of Indonesia's alignment with OECD standards across various policy areas, including anti-corruption and governance.

Croatia's OECD Journey

Croatia became an OECD accession candidate in 2022, with its accession roadmap formally adopted in June 2022. The country has made substantial progress, including presenting its Second Economic Survey in October 2025, a mandatory prerequisite for accession. Technical reviews for Croatia's bid are anticipated to conclude by the end of 2025, with full membership projected for the first half of 2026. Croatia's reforms have focused on areas such as green transition, housing, energy efficiency, and addressing demographic challenges.