Indonesia and JICA launch trade training for African nations

The Government of Indonesia and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) are conducting a second trade and investment promotion training program from September 28 to October 7, 2026. This initiative follows a Memorandum of Cooperation signed between JICA and the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the 2024 Indonesia-Africa Forum.

The training involves 16 participants, including government officials from Ethiopia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, and Tanzania, as well as observers from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the East African Community (EAC). The program focuses on East Africa due to its strategic role in regional economic integration and growth.

Curriculum topics include trade facilitation, export development, trade negotiation, promotion, SME empowerment, and regional cooperation. Participants will also visit Indonesian institutions, such as the Ministry of Investment and the ASEAN Secretariat, to study domestic policies and regional cooperation models. Indonesia has expressed openness to expanding this capacity-building cooperation to include vocational education.