Prabowo Urges ASEAN Countries to Prioritise Safety of Citizens in the Middle East

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has urged ASEAN countries to prioritise the safety and welfare of their citizens in the Middle East.

“I believe many of our countries have thousands of citizens in the Middle East. The protection of our citizens must remain the top priority,” Prabowo stated at the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, Philippines, on Friday (8/4/2026), as quoted from a press release.

At this international forum, he also welcomed Singapore’s offer to work with other ASEAN countries if they wish to evacuate their citizens.

“I think we must have a unified ASEAN approach. Indonesia is ready to work closely with our ASEAN counterparts,” he said.

According to Prabowo, the protection of citizens must remain the top priority.

The former defence minister even mentioned the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) soldiers who died while carrying out UN peacekeeping missions.

Furthermore, he called on ASEAN to speak with one voice in protecting civilians.

“We must demand that all parties uphold international law and advance accountability for violations. This is the time for ASEAN to demonstrate its strength. We must have a strong collective political voice,” Prabowo said.