March 25, 2026 | 08:19 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Trade Budi Santoso has stated that the Indonesian delegation will address the future of the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions (CDET) at the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
According to Budi, the follow-up discussion on this moratorium is crucial, as every global policy in the e-commerce field must account for digital divides and the specific needs of developing nations.
"Indonesia believes that every decision related to e-commerce needs to consider development aspects and digital gaps, especially for developing countries," Budi said in a written statement on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
In addition to calling for a comprehensive review of the moratorium, Budi stated that the Indonesian delegation will demand the continuation of the WTO’s Work Programme on E-Commerce.
Budi explained that digital trade issues will be among the key topics discussed by the delegation at the forum, which is scheduled to take place from March 26 to 29, 2026, in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Overall, Budi mentioned that Indonesia will push for WTO reform to ensure that the organization's benefits reach developing countries without abandoning its foundational principles.
According to him, reforming the multilateral trade system is vital to strengthening consensus-based decision-making and providing special treatment for developing nations. "Indonesia will also continue to push for the dispute settlement system to be restored to ensure legal certainty for all members," he said.
The range of issues Indonesia is bringing to the conference includes fisheries subsidies, agriculture, e-commerce trade, joint initiative incorporation, and non-violation and situation complaints (NVSC).
Budi ensured that these agendas have been intensively coordinated with various ministries and institutions to secure Indonesia's strong position in multilateral negotiations. Indonesia will also maintain its active engagement in negotiating additional provisions for the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (AFS).
Furthermore, the continuing agricultural sector negotiations will highlight the importance of food security, including government food reserve policies. Indonesia believes that global regulations in this sector should provide fair space for developing countries to maintain domestic food stability.
"Indonesia always strives to support small farmers and fishermen in agricultural negotiation issues and fisheries subsidies, especially to create fair, effective, and sustainable rules," he added.
The Indonesian delegation at the WTO forum will be led by the Ministry of Trade's Expert Staff in International Relations, Johni Martha. In addition to attending the main session, the delegation is scheduled to participate in several ministerial-level meetings, coordination sessions for developing country groups, bilateral meetings, and various other supporting agendas to bolster Indonesia's standing in international trade negotiations.
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