It was with great pleasure that NOW! Jakarta’s Alistair Speirs (AGS) sat down in the excellent French Restaurant, Amuz Gourmet, to speak with the newly arrived Belgian Ambassador H.E. Mr David Jordens (DJ).
Mr Jordens is a long-serving member of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has served in many overseas postings, including Australia, China and Burundi. He has multiple degrees in Modern History and European Studies and two Masters Degrees in International Relations and Politics. He speaks an impressive seven languages and has a private pilot’s licence.
Now settling into his new post here in Jakarta, he shares his insights on Belgian-Indonesian relations and what he hopes to achieve during his time here in Indonesia.
AGS: What have been the high points in the relationship between Belgium and the Republic of Indonesia over the years? Were there any breakthrough moments that stand out?
DJ: The relationship between Belgium and Indonesia is built on a long history of friendship, mutual respect, and cooperation. One of the earliest and most significant moments came during Indonesia’s struggle for independence, when Belgium, as one of just three members of the Komisi Tiga Negara (Committee of Good Offices), played an important role in supporting efforts to reach a peaceful resolution of the conflict and contributed to the international process that helped Indonesia achieve full sovereignty.
Following the formal establishment of diplomatic relations in 1949, several landmark visits helped deepen the bilateral partnership. President Soekarno visited Belgium in 1972, followed by the State Visit of King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola to Indonesia in 1974.
Economic cooperation has also been reinforced through a series of high-level Belgian economic missions led by members of the Royal Family. The two most recent ones were led by then Crown Prince Philippe, our current King, in 2008, and his sister Princess Astrid in 2016. These missions helped to expand trade and investment links between Belgium and Indonesia, while also opening new avenues for cooperation in areas such as science, education, innovation, and culture.
Another highlight was the Europalia Indonesia Festival in Brussels in 2017, opened in the presence of Vice President Jusuf Kalla. This prestigious cultural event showcased the extraordinary diversity of Indonesian music, dance, theatre, film, and visual arts to European audiences and elevated Belgian Indonesian cultural cooperation to new heights.
More recently, President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to Brussels in July 2025 marked an important milestone. During that visit, he witnessed the conclusion of the political negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Indonesia and the European Union and was received by His Majesty King Philippe at the Royal Palace. The timing of the visit was particularly significant, coming as Indonesia and the European Union concluded the political negotiations on CEPA, opening the way for closer economic cooperation in the years ahead.
What are the strongest elements in the relationship today? What are the factors and sectors that you are concentrating most on?
Today, Belgium and Indonesia enjoy close relations across a wide range of areas, from trade and investment to higher education, sustainability, and multilateral cooperation.
Trade and investment remain among the strongest pillars of our relationship. Belgium is consistently one of Indonesia’s leading trading partners within the European Union and serves as an important gateway to the European market. Approximately fifty Belgian companies have established operations in Indonesia, investing across a wide range of sectors, including textiles, steel, dredging, furniture, food and beverages, renewable energy, consultancy services, and advanced technologies. Through these investments, Belgian companies contribute to job creation, industrial development, and the transfer of expertise that supports Indonesia’s sustainable growth ambitions.
A particularly important development is the EU-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Beyond reducing barriers to trade and investment, CEPA provides a framework for closer cooperation on sustainable development, resilient supply chains, critical raw materials, innovation, and sustainable food systems. What matters now is the implementation and ensuring that the agreement delivers concrete benefits for Indonesian and European businesses, workers, and consumers.
Education and people-to-people exchanges form another vital component of our partnership. Around 500 Indonesian students are currently pursuing higher education in Belgium, and this number continues to grow. These students build bridges between our societies and often maintain lifelong connections with Belgium through the Alumni Belgia Association. Many alumni go on to assume leadership roles in government, business, academia, and civil society, making them powerful ambassadors of the friendship between our two countries.
Belgium and Indonesia are also closely aligned on many international issues. We share a strong commitment to multilateralism, the rules-based international order, and the importance of international law. As vibrant democracies, we support democratic governance, respect for human rights, and cooperation in combating terrorism and violent extremism. We are likewise working together to advance the energy transition, accelerate digital transformation, and promote sustainable and inclusive economic development.
What about the future, where do you want to take the relationship in the future?
The future of the Belgium-Indonesia relationship should be guided by a simple ambition: building a partnership that delivers shared, fair, and sustainable prosperity, while advancing peace, security and solutions to global challenges.
Economic cooperation will remain central, particularly in areas such as sustainable industry, clean energy, innovation, digital technologies, logistics, and resilient supply chains. At the same time, we want to further strengthen academic, scientific, and people-to-people exchanges. The growing number of Indonesian students in Belgium is an investment in the future of our relationship, creating networks of trust and cooperation that will last for generations.
Belgium’s commitment to Indonesia and the ASEAN region will soon be demonstrated in a very concrete way. We are preparing to open a new Embassy in Indonesia during the first quarter of next year. This important investment reflects our confidence in Indonesia’s future and our determination to deepen our engagement with one of the world’s most dynamic countries and with the broader ASEAN region.
Looking ahead, a possible State Visit by Their Majesties King Philippe and Queen Mathilde to Indonesia at the end of next year would represent a particularly significant milestone. The last Belgian State Visit to Indonesia took place in 1974. More than fifty years later, such a visit would constitute the highest expression of friendship, trust, and mutual esteem between our two nations. It would also send a powerful signal that Belgium and Indonesia intend to build an even stronger partnership for the decades ahead.
