The President’s appearance at the world’s largest annual multilateral forum will not only mark the first time in more than a decade that an Indonesian president has addressed the assembly, but also reaffirm Jakarta’s international stance at a time of mounting geopolitical turbulence.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) head Hasan Nasbi told reporters earlier this week that Prabowo would speak on Sept. 23, taking the floor after Brazil and the United States. He declined to reveal the content of the address but urged Indonesians to tune in and watch the speech.

Hasan also did not elaborate on Prabowo’s full schedule in the US, including whether he would meet with President Donald Trump. 

This year’s UNGA, presided over by former German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock, is expected to spotlight some of the world’s most pressing crises, from Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza and renewed calls for Palestinian statehood, to the war in Ukraine, climate obligations and growing demands for UN reform amid concerns over its waning credibility.

Read also: Prabowo’s diplomatic temptation

Prabowo’s presence will mark a break from his predecessor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who never attended the forum in person throughout his 10 years in office. Jokowi instead dispatched representatives, most notably then-vice president Jusuf Kalla and foreign minister Retno LP Marsudi, while delivering pre-recorded video speeches in 2020 and 2021, as most world leaders did during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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