Prabowo Responds to Foreign Visits: Not Ceremonial, for the Economy and Jobs

President Prabowo Subianto (Photo: Presidential Media Team)

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto finally responded to public scrutiny regarding the intensity of his overseas visits. In the "Prabowo Menjawab 2" broadcast released through his official YouTube channel on Sunday, March 22, he confirmed that every visit has a strategic goal for the benefit of the national economy.

Prabowo admitted that there was a perception of some people who considered the visit as a mere ceremonial agenda. However, he emphasized that the diplomacy he carried out was directly related to efforts to maintain employment in the country.

"Maybe some people think I like to travel. In fact, I go abroad to take care of my people, take care of their jobs," said Prabowo.

He explained that the presence of the head of state is often a determining factor in resolving protracted economic negotiations. According to him, a number of new strategic agreements can be reached through direct communication between heads of state.

Prabowo gave an example of Indonesia's efforts to penetrate the European Union and Canadian markets through a comprehensive economic cooperation scheme. As a result, a number of flagship commodities such as textiles and footwear have gained wider access, including a reduction in export tariffs.

"If there is no direct communication at the leadership level, many negotiations can be hampered. There are things that must be decided by the leader of the country," he said.

He added that in many international negotiations, cooperation partners often ask for direct certainty from the highest authority. Therefore, the role of the president is considered crucial to provide the final decision in strategic agreements.

According to Prabowo, diplomacy is no longer solely about foreign policy, but has evolved into a geoeconomic instrument that determines a country's competitiveness.

At the end of his statement, Prabowo emphasized the importance of maintaining relations with various international forums, such as ASEAN, G20, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in order to strengthen Indonesia's bargaining position in the midst of global dynamics.

"Indonesia has a strategic position with great resources. Therefore, we must actively build cooperation so that we are not disadvantaged in global competition," he said.