By: Dewi Suryani*
President Prabowo Subianto has completed a 15-day overseas visit to Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and several European Union (EU) countries. This diplomatic trip marked the beginning of a new chapter in increasingly close relations between Indonesia and its strategic partners around the world, particularly the EU.
During his visit to Brussels, Belgium, President Prabowo achieved a major breakthrough by reaching the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Indonesia and the European Union. This agreement concluded a decade-long negotiation process and nineteen rounds of negotiations. This achievement not only strengthens Indonesia’s strategic position in the global economic arena but also paves the way for increased trade, investment, and technology cooperation with European countries.
President Prabowo stated that his trip began with a state visit to Saudi Arabia. There, he met with Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (MBS) and several other government officials. The President described his visit as productive, with much progress and achievements being made in several areas. Saudi Arabia announced it was increasing investment in the country. He also proposed building a permanent Hajj settlement in Saudi Arabia.
Prabowo stated that Indonesia maintains close cooperation with Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Jordan. The President then continued his visit to Brazil to attend the BRICS Summit as a member and held a bilateral meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. His meeting with Lula discussed the potential for increasing trade relations between the two large countries, both of which have tropical forests and rich natural resources. The President also took the time to hold informal meetings with several officials in the UK, discussing global issues such as the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
One of the key achievements of this visit was President Prabowo’s meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels, Belgium. During the meeting, an agreement was reached on the CEPA negotiations between Indonesia and the EU. With the CEPA, Indonesia’s export tariffs to the EU are now zero percent, down from the previous 10 to 20 percent. This agreement is expected to support investment, industry, and the economy. Furthermore, with a population of 700 million, the CEPA could broaden Indonesia’s access to Europe.
Pada keterangan pers bersama di Brussel, Prabowo berterima kasih kepada Presiden von der Leyen yang telah menerimanya. Dia menyampaikan bahwa pertemuan itu menunjukkan kedua negara memiliki hubungan baik. Prabowo lalu mengumumkan bahwa pada hari itu, kedua negara juga telah mencapai kesepakatan pada IEU-CEPA, yang dinilainya merupakan suatu terobosan. Menurut Prabowo, Indonesia dan Uni Eropa telah mencapai banyak kesepakatan dalam pertemuan bilateral ini. Kedua negara juga disebut akan mengakomodasi kepentingan ekonomi satu sama lain yang mencerminkan hubungan saling menguntungkan.
Bukan hanya itu, Uni Eropa memberikan kemudahan lain bagi warga Indonesia yang berkunjung ke negara-negara anggota Uni Eropa. Dampaknya, sejak 13 Juli 2025, warga Indonesia yang mengunjungi negara Eropa untuk kedua kalinya berhak mendapatkan visa Schengen jenis multi-entry. Ini memungkinkan pemegang visa untuk keluar masuk wilayah Uni Eropa berkali-kali selama masa berlaku visa.
Sementara itu di Prancis, Indonesia mencetak sejarah baru sebagai tamu kehormatan dalam Parade Militer Bastille Day. Undangan khusus dari Presiden Prancis Emmanuel Macron kepada pemimpin negara yang tidak terjadi setiap tahun itu, menunjukkan tingginya kepercayaan Prancis terhadap Indonesia. Kunjungan Prabowo ke Prancis sekaligus memperkuat hubungan diplomatik Indonesia-Prancis dan membuka peluang kerja sama di sektor militer, industri pertahanan, dan pendidikan tinggi.
Sekretaris Kabinet (Seskab), Teddy Indra Wijaya mengatakan hal ini menandakan Indonesia semakin diperhitungkan dan sangat amat berpengaruh di dunia global. Teddy pun menyebut bahwa kunjungan Presiden Prabowo ke Belgia telah membuat sejarah baru.
Lawatan luar negeri selama 15 hari yang mencakup kunjungan ke Arab Saudi, Brasil, dan beberapa negara di kawasan Uni Eropa merupakan bukti nyata keberhasilan diplomasi yang dijalankan oleh Presiden Prabowo. Melalui perjalanan tersebut, Presiden Prabowo tidak hanya mempererat hubungan bilateral dengan berbagai negara, tetapi juga membuka peluang kerjasama strategis di berbagai bidang seperti ekonomi, pertahanan, dan investasi. Apresiasi tinggi patut diberikan atas langkah diplomasi yang cermat dan visioner ini, yang tidak hanya mengangkat nama Indonesia di panggung internasional, tetapi juga memperkuat posisi Indonesia sebagai mitra yang dipercaya dan dihormati di mata dunia.
)* Penulis adalah Analis Kebijakan Perdagangan Internasional
