The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has concluded its first Made For Trade Live roadshow in Jakarta, aimed at boosting business connections between the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.
The event follows the UAE-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which came into force in 2023. Officials say bilateral non-oil trade between the two nations has grown from $3bn in 2020 to $5bn in 2024, with investments spanning renewable energy, technology, and agri-food sectors.
DMCC announced that the number of Southeast Asian companies operating within its district rose by 13% in the past year, reaching more than 650 – over 30 of them from Indonesia.
New avenues for cooperation
The roadshow, organised in partnership with the UAE Embassy in Jakarta and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN), brought together more than 150 Indonesian business leaders and government officials. Discussions focused on trade opportunities in the Islamic economy, commodities, and technology.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, DMCC’s Executive Chairman and CEO, said the CEPA agreement had accelerated economic ties. “With over 650 companies from Southeast Asia in our district, DMCC represents around 20% of the total Indonesian business presence in the UAE,” he said.
Mr Bin Sulayem highlighted Indonesia’s position as the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation and a leader in Islamic finance and Halal-certified goods as a basis for deepening trade with Dubai.
Expanding the Islamic economy
DMCC’s subsidiary, the Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange, reported a sharp rise in its Shariah-compliant Gold Spot Contract – up almost 200% year-on-year to $46.8m. DMCC Tradeflow, an online commodities registration platform, recently appointed a Shariah Supervisory Board to ensure compliance with Islamic finance standards.
His Excellency Abdulla Salem AlDhaheri, UAE Ambassador to Indonesia, said the event offered Indonesian partners “a gateway” to explore the UAE’s opportunities for living, working, and investing. He cited the close ties between the countries’ leaders and stressed that the relationship’s strength lies in “people-to-people and business-to-business connections”.
Gateway to global markets
DMCC promotes Dubai as a strategic hub for companies looking to expand internationally. The district hosts over 25,000 companies and contributes 15% of Dubai’s annual foreign direct investment inflows and 7% of its GDP.
Officials say Indonesia’s growing economy, combined with the UAE’s location and trade infrastructure, positions both countries to benefit from stronger transport, logistics, and tourism links.
The Jakarta roadshow marks the first time DMCC has hosted its Made For Trade Live series in Indonesia. Organisers say it is part of a wider push to build trade corridors between Dubai and Southeast Asia, with an emphasis on sectors that also support travel and cultural exchange.
