Presentation of Ambassador Credentials to Prabowo Held Behind Closed Doors
The ceremony for the presentation of letters of credence from several ambassadors of friendly nations to President Prabowo Subiability was held behind closed doors. At least eight ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary presented their letters of credence from their respective countries to Prabowo on Monday, 8 June 2026.
The event took place at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. The procession could not be covered directly by journalists, and the Presidential Secretariat did not broadcast the activity live via their social media channels. The presentation of credentials was scheduled for Monday afternoon. The Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube account had prepared a live stream for the event around 12:30 WIB; however, the video was subsequently deleted before the event commenced.
Deputy Foreign Minister Anis Matta stated that the event was held privately due to technical reasons, though he did not provide specific details. “(The closed event) is quite normal, there is nothing special about it,” he said following the procession.
During the credential presentation at the Palace, Anis noted that the ambassadors were given individual opportunities to speak with President Prabowo within a collective forum. According to Anis, Prabowo apologised for making the ambassadors wait for the schedule, noting that the President’s schedule had not aligned with the ambassadors’ availability, necessitating the delay.
The eight ambassadors presenting their credentials today represented the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Czech Republic, Greece, Saint Lucia, South Korea, Palestine, and Lebanon.
A previous credential presentation on 7 November 2025 was held openly, allowing journalists to cover the event, which involved 12 ambassadors, including those from Poland, Ireland, Kuwait, and Spain. Since then, there have been no further presentations of credentials from friendly nations to Prabimos. The acceptance of letters of credence by the host head of state must be completed before ambassadors can formally commence their duties.
The delay in the presentation of credentials to the President had previously drawn criticism from Dino Patti Djalal, former Deputy Foreign Minister during the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono era. According to Dino, at least 17 ambassador-designates had been waiting for months to present their credentials.
Foreign Minister Sugiono previously confirmed that dozens of foreign ambassadors are scheduled to present their credentials to President Prabowo in the near future to mark the official commencement of their assignments in Indonesia. He explained that the ambassadors arrived in Indonesia at different times following the last credential ceremony in November. He claimed that the ambassadors must undergo a series of gradual processes before finally presenting their credentials to the President.
Sugiono stated that the delay in presenting the letters of credence to the President of Indonesia has had no impact on bilateral cooperation with the respective countries. The Secretary General of the Gerindra Party admitted to having met with each ambassador awaiting their credential presentation. He ensured that relations and communication with the ambassadors continue to proceed well as usual. “What is certain is that the substance of bilateral cooperation remains ongoing,” Sugiono said at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta on Wednesday, 3 June 2026.