Warm Welcome from Indonesian Diaspora and Students for President Prabowo in Abu Dhabi
The arrival of President Prabowo Subianto in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Wednesday (26/2/2026), was met with enthusiasm by the Indonesian diaspora and students.
Upon arrival at the Presidential Flight Airport at 6:00 PM local time, the President was immediately greeted by representatives of Indonesian citizens residing there.
A warm moment occurred in the lobby of the hotel where President Prabowo was staying. The diaspora and students had gathered to greet Indonesia’s leader in person.
The President took the time to shake hands with them one by one and even chatted briefly.
During the event, the President also received a bouquet of flowers from two Indonesian children wearing traditional clothes at the entrance of the hotel.
Among the greeters were several cadets from the University of Defense (Unhan) who were participating in an exchange program at the Rabdan Academy.
This meeting left a deep impression, especially for the students studying abroad.
Naufal Ahmad Sofyan, a student at the University of Humanities and also the Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Student Association (PPI) UAE, expressed his feelings.
“The impression of welcoming Mr. Prabowo is that we are very happy and pleased. We had the opportunity to shake his hand, and it was very impressive for us, especially for Mr. President Prabowo, the greatest President,” he said.
Naufal hopes that this visit will strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.
He has directly felt the benefits of the strategic partnership between the two countries, especially in the education sector.
“Hopefully, with the presence of Mr. President, every year, it can even strengthen the relationship, the bilateral relationship, the relationship between the two countries, which has an impact on economic and educational aspects, and we are among those who benefit from the good relationship between the President and the United Arab Emirates,” he added.
A valuable experience was also felt by two Unhan cadets, Sergeant Major Second Class Mathematics Cadet Alief Syahnur Almaida, who is studying homeland security at the Rabdan Academy, and Sergeant Major Second Class Mechanical Engineering Cadet Carina Alexandrea Silaban.
For them, being able to meet and shake hands with the President is a first-time experience that they will always remember.
“This is my first experience, especially shaking hands directly with Mr. President. This is definitely a unique experience that will be memorable for me,” said Alief, representing his colleagues.
This visit is a strong symbol of the close relationship between Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as an encouragement for the young Indonesian generation studying abroad. (Ant/Z-1)