INDONESIA’S President-elect and Defense Minister, Prabowo Subianto, announced that African countries increasingly view Indonesia as a successful model for developing countries in terms of domestic policies and global diplomacy.
Speaking after a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on June 13, Prabowo said he observed this trend during an emergency international summit on Gaza in Amman, Jordan, earlier in the week. On the sidelines of the summit, Prabowo met with Mozambique President Felipe Nyusi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
‘They now see Indonesia as an example of a successful developing country in the Global South,’ Prabowo stated. He noted that the African leaders expressed interest in learning from Indonesia’s strategies for addressing social issues and down streaming natural resources.
Prabowo emphasised Indonesia’s commitment to humanitarian efforts, particularly in response to the crisis in Gaza. ‘We are ready to receive one thousand injured Palestinians as our first step. We are also ready to receive one thousand children to continue their schooling in Indonesia and return them home after completing it,’ he said, adding that these steps have garnered respect from many countries.
Rwanda and Mozambique praised Indonesia’s concrete actions during the conference and expressed a desire to emulate its policies. ‘They invited me. They asked for Indonesia’s support and assistance, and they also asked to be educated in Indonesia,’ Prabowo remarked.
In an opinion piece for NEWSWEEK magazine on June 12, Prabowo reiterated his commitment to forging closer ties with Africa. ‘[During my presidency] there will be a special focus on Africa, a continent close to my heart and today, just like Indonesia, a land of opportunity. We can support each other, sharing our experiences and by building synergies and partnerships, work to transform our countries.’
Prabowo’s presidency marks a new chapter for Indonesia, with a focus on leveraging its development success to build stronger international partnerships, particularly with African nations.
