Johannesburg, November 22, 2025 – The Europe Today: Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka announced the implementation of a mutual visa-free entry policy between Indonesia and South Africa during the Indonesia-Africa CEO Forum held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Friday.
The Vice President described the policy as a concrete result of the meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta last October.
“The visit of President Ramaphosa a few weeks ago to Indonesia reflects deep cooperation between the two countries. Both presidents agreed to have visa-free entry,” Gibran stated, drawing applause from attendees.
Earlier, during a joint press conference with President Ramaphosa in Jakarta, President Prabowo reaffirmed his commitment to executing bilateral cooperation agreements, including sending a technical team to develop concrete collaborative programs with South Africa.
“We also hope to have closer cooperation in the field of people-to-people arrangements, for instance, mutual visa waiver arrangements,” President Prabowo had noted.
In his address at the forum, Vice President Gibran emphasized Indonesia’s commitment to enhancing foreign investment in South Africa, particularly in the agriculture and energy sectors. He highlighted South Africa’s strategic role as a gateway for Indonesia’s entry into the wider African market, while also showcasing Indonesia’s strengths in industrial capacity, human resources, manufacturing, technology, and access to ASEAN markets.
Gibran further expressed appreciation for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strategic industry cooperation, marking another milestone in bilateral relations.
Reaffirming Indonesia’s long-standing commitment to Africa, the Vice President described the continent as “the one that will set the pace of tomorrow.”
“Africa is growing really fast and is full of potential. Africa is the future, and Indonesia wants to build that future together with Africa,” he concluded.
