Prabowo Apologises for Delay in Receiving Ambassadors from Friendly Nations
President Prabowo Subianto has received eight new ambassadors during a closed-door ceremony for the presentation of credentials from their respective countries. During the event, Prabowo reportedly apologised to the representatives of friendly nations for the delay in officially receiving them.
Deputy Foreign Minister Anis Matta, who attended the credential presentation, recounted the moment. “The President conveyed that, first of all, he apologises for this delay to all ambassadors,” Anlag said following the proceedings at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, 8 June 2026.
According to Anis, the delay occurred due to President Prabowo’s extremely busy schedule. He noted that there was no intention from the government to postpone the presentation of credentials. Anis stated that Prabowo has had numerous agendas since being inaugurated, focusing heavily on managing global situations that require full concentration.
The ambassadors reportedly responded well to Prabowo’s apology, expressing understanding of the President’s current situation. During the closed-door forum, the ambassadors also conveyed messages from their respective heads of state to President Prabowo.
In a personal gesture, Prabowo served coffee sourced from his residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java. Anis remarked that the atmosphere was excellent and noted that the ambassadors had the opportunity to try the Hambalang coffee.
Anis explained that this particular credential presentation was held behind closed doors for technical reasons, though he did not provide specific details. The eight ambassadors presenting their credentials included representatives from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Czech Republic, Greece, South Korea, Palestine, Lebanon, and Saint Lucia.
Anis added that several other ambassadors are still awaiting their scheduled presentation of credentials, as the acceptance of letters of credence by the host head of state must occur before ambassadors can formally begin their duties. He expressed hope that the remaining schedules would be arranged in the near future.
The delay in presenting credentials to President Prabowo had previously drawn criticism from Dino Patti Djalal, the former Deputy Foreign Minister during the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono era. According to Dino, at least 17 ambassadorial candidates have been waiting for months to present their credentials, with some diplomats waiting up to eight months, a situation he feared could impact Indonesia’s diplomatic image.