17 Foreign Ambassadors Submit Credentials to President Prabowo
President Prabowo Subianto has officially received the letters of credentials from 17 ambassadors of friendly nations at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. The presentation of these dozen-plus letters of credentials by foreign ambassadors had previously been delayed.
Yesterday, the Head of State received credentials from eight Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Today, Tuesday, 9 June 2026, Prabowo received the remaining nine.
Quoting a press statement from the Presidential Secretariat, the presentation of these letters of credentials marks the official start of the ambassadors’ terms of duty in Indonesia.
The presentation process began with an official welcome for the ambassadors at the Merdeka Palace. Upon arrival, the national anthems of each respective country were played.
Subsequently, the ambassadors entered the credentials room in turn to present their letters of credence to Prabowo.
During the occasion, President Prabowo personally received the official documents that signify the commencement of the ambassadors’ diplomatic duties in Indonesia.
“Traditionally, during the presentation of credentials, each ambassador submits their letter of credence, followed by informal socialising. That is the pattern,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Arif Havas Oegroseno during a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon.
The ambassadors presenting their credentials to President Prabowo today included the Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Guatemala to Indonesia, Manuel Estuardo Roldan Barillas; the Ambassador-designate of the State of Qatar to Indonesia, Sultan bin Mubarak Saad Al-Dosari; the Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Kenya to Indonesia, Abdirashid Salat Abdille; and the Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Fiji to Indonesia, Ratu Isoa Delamisi Tikoca.
Also present were the Ambassador-designate of the Kingdom of Morocco to Indonesia, Redouane Houssaini; the Ambassador-designate of the Portuguese Republic to Indonesia, Maria Gabriela Vieira Soares de Albergaria; the Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Panama to Indonesia, Bernardo Brea Rodriguez; the Ambassador-designate of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to Indonesia, Hong Kwang Il; and the Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Mozambique to Indonesia, Antonio Rodrigues Jose.
Meanwhile, the eight ambassadors who presented their credentials to the President a day earlier were the Ambassadors of Sri Lanka to Indonesia, Sumadhurika Sashikala Premawardhane; the Philippines to Indonesia, Christopher Baltazar Montero; South Korea to Indonesia, Yoon Soongu; and the Czech Republic to Indonesia, Petr Kopiva.
They were joined by the Ambassadors of Palestine to Indonesia, Abdalfatah Ahmed Khalil Alsattari; Greece to Indonesia, Dimitrios Michalopoulos; Lebanon to Indonesia, Salam Al Achkar; and Saint Lucia to Indonesia, Menissa Rambally.
The delay in the presentation of credentials from friendly nations to President Prabowo had faced criticism from Dino Patti Djalal, the former Deputy Foreign Minister during the era of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. According to Dino, these 17 ambassador-designates had been waiting for months for their turn to present their credentials.
Dino noted that some diplomats had even waited up to eight months. This situation raised concerns that it could potentially damage Indonesia’s diplomatic image.