Presidential Communication Office (PCO) has highlighted the positive outcomes of President Prabowo Subianto’s diplomatic efforts in various countries. These efforts have resulted in the signing of numerous memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and significant investment commitments from different partner nations. According to Senior Expert Philips J. Vermonte from the PCO, within less than a year of President Prabowo taking office, a total of 71 MoUs with 13 countries have been secured, along with investment commitments amounting to nearly IDR 800 trillion from four countries. This diplomatic outreach aims to access markets that Indonesia may not have targeted traditionally through economic diplomacy.
Philips shared these insights during a public discussion titled “The Fruits of President Prabowo’s Diplomatic Outreach on the Global Stage,” organized by the Central Board of the Patriotic Millennial Movement (GEMPITA) at Retro Café in Jakarta. Indonesia’s recent joining of the BRICS international organization was highlighted as a strategic market expansion move in the face of global uncertainty, narrowing spaces for international diplomacy. Philips emphasized that Indonesia’s engagement in multilateral forums like BRICS is essential to enhance relations with major global powers such as Russia, China, and India, without reflecting any anti-Western or anti-American stance.
Moreover, tangible diplomatic achievements were also noted, including a significant reduction in U.S. import tariffs on Indonesian goods from 32% to 19% as a result of negotiations between President Prabowo and President Trump. Deputy Foreign Minister Arif Havas Oegroseno further emphasized Indonesia’s ongoing efforts to push for additional tariff reductions within ASEAN countries, highlighting Indonesia’s current lowest tariff rate of 19% in the region. He urged the public to avoid overreaction and emotional assumptions in trade diplomacy decisions driven by national interests rather than resentment, emphasizing the importance of factual data analysis in understanding foreign policy.
