September 21, 2025 | 10:06 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Unlike his predecessor Joko Widodo, Prabowo Subianto attended the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in his first year as president. Jokowi, during his 10-year presidency, never attended the UNGA usually held in New York, United States.
Indonesia's representation at the UNGA during Jokowi's era was often delegated to former Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. In Jokowi's first term, this task was carried out by former Vice President Jusuf Kalla. "We understand that the President's duties are quite demanding," said former Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko at the Bina Graha Building, Jakarta, on Tuesday, September 24, 2019. Jokowi never directly explained his continuous absence.
Jokowi did give a speech at the UNGA. However, he did not attend in person, but only virtually in 2020 and 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
International political observer Fitriani revealed that Indonesia would lose two things if the president skipped the UNGA. First, Indonesia could lose the opportunity to communicate its ability to lead the world. Second, Indonesia could lose the momentum to build closer relationships with other countries, as the world is currently facing uncertain conditions due to environmental crises, food, pandemics, and conflicts.
"Who measures how important the representation of a national leader's presence is? If President Joko Widodo does not attend, then perhaps he believes that the presence of a national leader is not important at the UNGA," said Fitriani, a former researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in the political and international relations department, to Tempo, September 12, 2022.
Director of the Center for American Studies at the University of Indonesia, Suzie Sudarman, has a different view. Suzie sees Jokowi's absence at the UNGA as not too problematic, as there is no urgency such as state sovereignty violations.
According to Suzie, the forum could be a venue for pressure from stronger countries on heads of state. "Jokowi does not prioritize statements that could trigger conflicts because at international meetings, there will surely be many questions from journalists and pressure from several superpowers on Indonesia," said Suzie.
President Prabowo is scheduled to speak at the 80th UNGA on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. Cabinet Secretary Lieutenant Colonel Teddy Indra Wijaya said that this year's UNGA is an important momentum for Indonesia.
Teddy said Indonesia would once again appear at the highest level at the UN forum. In addition, Indonesia, represented by Prabowo, will voice the interests of the Global South or developing countries and strengthen its diplomatic position on the global stage.
"To affirm Indonesia's position as a leader of the Global South consistently advocating for reforming world governance to be more just and inclusive," said Teddy in a written statement from the Presidential Secretariat on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
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