Jakarta, July 2, 2026 – Minister of Creative Economy/Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Teuku Riefky Harsya, received a courtesy visit from Indonesia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Canada, Muhsin Syihab, to discuss strategies for expanding market access for Indonesian creative economy products. The Minister said Canada represents a promising market with strong purchasing power and growing interest in Indonesian creative products.
Minister of Creative Economy/Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Teuku Riefky Harsya, receives a courtesy visit from Indonesia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Canada at the Ministry of Creative Economy office in Jakarta, Thursday, July 2, 2026.
“Canada remains a wide-open market for Indonesia. Indonesian creative economy players possess exceptional taste, talent, cultural richness, creativity, and strong dedication to the creative industry. Amid various global challenges, the Ministry of Creative Economy continues to strengthen collaboration through a hexahelix approach to expand market access for creative entrepreneurs,” said the Minister during the meeting at the Ministry’s office in Jakarta on Thursday (July 2).
The Minister added that Indonesia–Canada bilateral relations have become increasingly promising, particularly following President Prabowo Subianto’s visit, which opened opportunities for broader and more comprehensive cooperation.
In 2025, the creative economy sector employed nearly 20 percent of Indonesia’s total workforce. This achievement provides a strong foundation for leveraging international economic cooperation, including the Indonesia–Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (ICA CEPA), to enhance the competitiveness of Indonesian creative products in global markets.
Ambassador Muhsin Syihab noted that opportunities for developing Indonesia’s creative economy in Canada remain substantial. Beyond major cities such as Toronto, regions like Quebec also offer significant potential due to their strong creative industry ecosystems and high consumer purchasing power.
Photo: Bureau of Communications, Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
“Quebec can become one of the hubs for Indonesian fashion development. We have also been continuously introducing Indonesian cuisine through food festivals in Toronto. Around 97,000 Canadian tourists visited Indonesia, and that number can still grow further. We hope to connect Indonesian creative economy players with various companies in Canada,” said Muhsin.
The Ministry of Creative Economy and the Embassy of Indonesia in Ottawa are committed to strengthening synergy in creating opportunities for promotion, investment, and business networking for Indonesian creative entrepreneurs. The initiative is expected to broaden the international reach of Indonesian creative products while generating greater economic value for creative businesses.
Photo: Bureau of Communications, Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
The meeting was also attended by Fajar Kurniawan, First Secretary for Social and Cultural Affairs at the Indonesian Embassy in Ottawa. The Minister was accompanied by Deputy for Media Creativity Cecep Rukendi; Secretary to the Deputy for Cultural and Design Creativity Amir Hamzah; Acting Director for Marketing System Development and Institutional Relations Aulia Chloridiany; Director of Fashion Romi Astuti; Director of Games Luat S.P. Sihombing; and Director of Film, Animation, and Video Doni Setiawan.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Communications Bureau
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
