President Prabowo Subianto to Attend D-8 Summit in Egypt

President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday (12/17) departed for Cairo, Egypt, for a state visit. The President is also slated to attend the 11^th Summit of the Developing Eight Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8).

The President and his limited entourage took off from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base, Jakarta, at 11:45 a.m. Western Indonesia Time.

In his statement to the media before departure, President Prabowo emphasized the significance of this visit, noting that it had been 11 years since an Indonesian President last visited Egypt.

“This will be the first state visit of an Indonesian President to Egypt since 2013. Egypt is our close friend, a strategic partner for Indonesia, and  a key player in the Middle East,” President Prabowo said.

In Cairo, the President is scheduled to meet with the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, at the Al Ittihadiya Presidential Palace. This visit marks a significant moment for the two nations, which have long shared close cooperation in various fields.

In addition to bilateral meetings, President Prabowo will also attend the D-8 Summit in Cairo. One of the main agenda items of the Summit is the handover of the D-8 chairmanship from Egypt to Indonesia, where Indonesia will hold the leadership of the organization for the 2026-2027 period.

“In the current context, I believe the D-8 Summit is an important event. Starting January 1, 2026, Indonesia will assume the chairmanship of D-8. That is why I am attending, and at the conclusion of the summit, I will also hold informal meetings with several economic and industrial leaders,” the President said.

The President further said that the Government would continue to function effectively during his overseas visit. He also expressed hope that all the agenda would proceed smoothly and successfully.

“We always pray that the Almighty God will bless and protect us,” the President remarked.

(BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/ABD) (RI/RAS)