Yemeni Ambassador Meets Megawati to Discuss Middle East Situation
Indonesia’s fifth President and Chairwoman of the PDI-P, Megawati Soekarnoputri, received a courtesy visit from the Ambassador of the Republic of Yemen to Indonesia, Salem Ahmed Abdulrahman Balfakeeh, at her residence in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Monday.
Ambassador Salem expressed his pleasure at meeting Megawati directly. He regards Megawati as one of the important and influential figures in Indonesia’s historical journey, as well as the daughter of the Proclaimer and first President of Indonesia, Soekarno.
During the meeting, Ambassador Salem spoke at length about the strong historical ties between Indonesia and Yemen. According to him, relations between the two nations were established long before the formation of modern diplomatic relations between states.
He said that the relationship between Yemen and Indonesia is not merely built through formal diplomacy, but is rooted in people-to-people relations that have lasted for centuries, following the migration of Yemeni people to the archipelago.
“Since when did Yemenis migrate to the archipelago?” asked Megawati.
The ambassador explained that Yemeni migration has been ongoing since the 13th century, peaking around the 18th century.
“They migrated to Indonesia, lived, settled, and even became Indonesian citizens. They also contributed to the struggle for Indonesia’s independence from Dutch and Japanese colonialism,” said Ambassador Salem.
According to him, this long journey has made the Yemeni-descended community an inseparable part of Indonesian national life. He mentioned several figures of Yemeni descent who have contributed to Indonesia, including former Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, Alwi Shihab, and former Finance Minister Fuad Bawazier.
“And according to data, there are currently more than 10 million Indonesian citizens of Yemeni descent,” he said.
He also noted that there are currently more than 8,000 Indonesian students in Yemen.
Ambassador Salem also touched on the closeness of the community in Hadhramaut Province with Indonesia. The long history of interaction, according to him, is even visible in the daily lives of the local community.
He mentioned that a number of Indonesian vocabulary words are used in Hadhramaut. The cultural closeness of the two communities can also be found in culinary traditions.
“And even when looking at cuisine and food, they are also close to Indonesian food there,” he explained.
Building on this historical closeness, Ambassador Salem expressed his hope that Indonesia would further strengthen its diplomatic presence in Yemen. One of the ways is through the establishment of a Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia in Aden.
According to Ambassador Salem, the presence of an Indonesian Consulate in Aden would help facilitate communication while opening broader space for strengthening cooperation between Indonesia and Yemen.
“Yemen is a great nation and has a very long historical record of good relations with Indonesia. Therefore, we hope that an Indonesian Consulate can be established in Aden, so as to facilitate good cooperation and communication between the two countries. In this way, the good relations that have been established for so long can become even closer,” said Ambassador Salem.
In response to the request, Megawati said she would convey the aspiration to members of the PDI-P faction in Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives.
During the meeting, Ambassador Salem also briefed Megawati on the latest developments in the Middle East and their various impacts on Yemen.
He expressed hope that Megawati, with her long experience as a leader of Indonesia and her capacity as Chairwoman of the PDI-P, could pay attention to the situation currently faced by the Yemeni people.
“We see that Her Excellency Ibu Megawati is not only a great figure known in the Republic of Indonesia, but with a sizeable party in parliament, she could perhaps pay attention to supporting the issues in Yemen,” said Ambassador Salem.
The meeting also served as a moment to recall the historical relations that have bound the Indonesian and Yemeni people for centuries, as well as the importance of strengthening relations between the two countries amid the geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East region.
During the meeting, Megawati was accompanied by her son, PDI-P Central Executive Board Chairman M. Prananda Prabowo, and PDI-P Central Executive Board Chairman Ahmad Basarah.