Indonesian President Reveals Plans for 2025 Diplomatic Visits from Africa and Beyond
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto revealed that several African leaders are eager to visit the archipelago nation in 2025, signaling Indonesia’s growing international influence. Angola’s President João Lourenço plans to arrive in January 2025, followed by President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo in February. Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has also expressed interest in visiting, although a concrete date for her trip hasn’t been announced.
Indonesia on the Global Stage
President Prabowo shared this news while addressing the Indonesian Central Bank (BI) Annual Meeting on November 29, 2024. ” “Indonesia is getting attention from many friendly countries,” he remarked during his speech, highlighting the nation’s increasing prominence on the world stage.
A Whirlwind World Tour
The announcement followed President Prabowo’s recent six-nation diplomatic tour, which took place from November 8 to 23, 2024. This whirlwind trip saw him engage in high-level meetings with world leaders across Asia, the Americas, and Europe.
From Asia to the Americas
His journey began with a visit to China from November 8 to 10, 2024, where he met with President Xi Jinping. Following this, from November 11 to 12, 2024, President Prabowo traveled to the United States, accepting an invitation from President Joe Biden.
Connecting with Regional Partners
He then flew to Lima, Peru, from November 14 to 15, 2024, to participate in the ASEAN-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. The president’s next stop was Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he attended the G20 Summit from November 18 to 19, 2024. Before returning home, he made a detour to England to meet with both British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III.
Strengthening Bond with the UAE
On November 23, 2024, President Prabowo concluded his international travels with a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. This agreement is expected to further solidify the strategic partnership between the two countries.
What are the recent announcements made by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto regarding diplomatic visits from African leaders in 2025?
## Indonesia’s Growing Ties with Africa: An Interview
**Host:** Welcome back to the program. Today, we are discussing the recent announcement by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto regarding upcoming diplomatic visits from several African leaders in 2025. Joining us to shed light on the significance of these visits is Dr. Adi Wijaya, an expert on Indonesian foreign policy. Welcome, Dr. Wijaya.
**Dr. Wijaya:** Thank you for having me.
**Host:** Let’s dive right in. President Subianto mentioned visits from Angola’s President João Lourenço in January, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi in February. President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania has also expressed her intention to visit Indonesia. What does this level of interest from African leaders signify?
**Dr. Wijaya:** These planned visits underscore Indonesia’s growing diplomatic weight on the global stage. [1]**
**Host:** And specifically regarding Indonesia’s ties with Africa, what factors are driving this increased engagement?
**Dr. Wijaya:** Indonesia and many African nations share common interests, particularly in the realm of economic development.
[1] We’ve seen a strong potential for economic cooperation between the two regions, with bilateral trade already reaching USD 8.84 billion in 2017, a considerable figure. There’s a large, young and productive population in both regions, creating a strong base for future economic partnerships. **[1(https://en.tempo.co/read/917320/info-tempo-the-background-of-indonesia-africa-forum-iaf)]
**Host:** That’s fascinating. What are some possible areas of cooperation that these visits might lead to?
**Dr. Wijaya:** There are numerous possibilities. Investment in infrastructure, trade in commodities and manufactured goods, cooperation in agriculture, and even sharing best practices in areas like renewable energy development are just a few examples.
**Host:** It seems like these visits hold immense potential for strengthening ties between Indonesia and Africa. Dr. Wijaya, thank you for your insightful analysis.
