President Prabowo Welcomes Ambassadors, Stresses Sovereign Diplomacy

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto reiterated Indonesia’s commitment to an independent and active foreign policy amid intensifying global geopolitical dynamics.

He delivered the message while receiving letters of credence from eight ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Monday, June 8, 2026.

The meeting provided an opportunity for Indonesia to strengthen diplomatic relations and reaffirm the government’s consistent position of maintaining good ties with all countries, independent of any power bloc.

State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said President Prabowo emphasized that the principles of independence and activity remain the foundation of Indonesia’s foreign policy, as laid down by the nation’s founders.

“Since Indonesia was founded by the founding fathers, our foreign policy has been independent and active. We are non‑aligned,” Prasetyo told reporters at the Presidential Palace.

According to Prasetyo, the newly appointed ambassadors conveyed greetings from their respective leaders, with several expressing appreciation for President Prabowo’s diplomatic initiatives to promote international peace and stability.

In addition to bilateral relations, the meeting included an exchange of views on global developments concerning many countries.

The credential ceremony took place at the Merdeka Palace with full state protocol. The ambassadors arrived one by one, greeted by traditional dances and an honor guard. National anthems of each country were played as they entered the palace complex.

After presenting their credentials, the ambassadors joined a courtesy session and a brief dialogue with the president. On this occasion, President Prabowo apologized for the delayed reception of the ambassadors, who had arrived in Indonesia earlier.

Deputy Foreign Minister Anis Matta explained that the delay was due solely to the president’s busy schedule since the start of his term, including his focus on international issues requiring special attention.

“The president has already apologized to all ambassadors for the delay. This was largely due to his extremely busy schedule,” Anis said, stressing there was no intentional postponement.

Since his inauguration, President Prabowo has been engaged in numerous agendas related to global developments that demand significant concentration and time.

The arrival of the new ambassadors is expected to strengthen Indonesia’s cooperation with friendly nations in areas such as economics, trade, investment, education, and joint efforts to address global challenges.

The eight ambassadors received by President Prabowo were:

1. Sumadhurika Sashikala Premawardhane, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sri Lanka.
2. Christopher Baltazar Montero, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Philippines.
3. Yoon Soongu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of South Korea.
4. Petr Kopřiva, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic.
5. Abdalfatah Ahmed Khalil Alsattari, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Palestine.
6. Dimitrios Michalopoulos, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Greece.
7. Salam Al‑Achkar, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Lebanon.
8. Menissa Rambally, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Saint Lucia (non‑resident). (Misni Parjiati)