Appreciating President Prabowo’s Efforts to Face World Geopolitical Dynamics Through Working Visits to the Middle East
By: Kenzie Al Ghifari)*
President Prabowo Subianto moved quickly to respond to the increasingly uncertain geopolitical dynamics at the global level. The Head of State immediately led a state working visit to the Middle East on Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
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The visit is not just a diplomatic symbol, but a strategic maneuver to strengthen Indonesia’s position as an active player in the ever-shifting map of international relations.
In the early moments of his visit, President Prabowo held a closed meeting with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, at the Qasr Al Shatie Palace, Abu Dhabi. The personal meeting took place with a very substantial agenda, namely discussing world geopolitical and geoeconomic developments and exploring opportunities for strategic cooperation between the two countries.
The 8th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, firmly demonstrated his commitment to remain at the forefront of establishing concrete and mutually beneficial economic partnerships amidst the shadow of global economic uncertainty.
Concrete steps in the meeting were immediately realized through the signing of a number of important documents, both in the form of memorandums of understanding (MoU) and letters of interest (LoI) involving various potential sectors.
The signing is a strong signal that Indonesia is not only speaking up on the diplomatic stage, but is also taking real action to secure opportunities for long-term economic cooperation.
The Head of State then held a direct dialogue and met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Both discussed strengthening cooperation in the fields of industry, trade, education, and culture. The long-standing relationship between Indonesia and Turkey is now being expanded to be more comprehensive and strategic.
President Prabowo’s working visit takes place in a geopolitical context that is experiencing high pressure. US President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies have triggered new tensions in global trade.
The aggressive import tariffs imposed by the US government have the potential to create economic instability across continents. In this situation, President Prabowo has chosen the path of active diplomacy to ensure that Indonesia does not become a victim of the wave of global uncertainty, but instead takes on the role of determining the direction of new cooperation.
Teuku Rezasyah, a lecturer in International Relations at Padjadjaran University, views President Prabowo’s move as a smart strategy in dealing with major changes in world geopolitics.
According to him, countries in the Middle East are currently looking for new economic partners that can be trusted amid the uncertainty of their relationship with the United States. Meanwhile, in fact, Indonesia has great potential as a strategic alternative that promises stability, a strong domestic market, and productive human resources.
In Teuku Rezasyah’s view, President Prabowo’s presence in the Middle East region represents the clarity of Indonesia’s foreign policy direction. Through the visit, Indonesia openly shows its readiness to be part of the solution, not just a spectator in the dynamics of global politics.
The strategy raises Indonesia’s image as a country that dares to take the initiative to strengthen the national economy and establish equal and constructive international relations.
Praise for President Prabowo’s steps also came from the Executive Director of the Human Studies Institute (HSI), Rasminto. He considered that the challenges currently facing Indonesia are very complex.
On the one hand, the conflict in the Middle East is heating up, and on the other hand, the world economy is facing tensions due to trade rivalries between major powers. In these conditions, President Prabowo did not show a passive attitude. On the contrary, the Head of State and his government took progressive steps through intelligent and courageous foreign diplomacy.
According to Rasminto, the visit to the Middle East reflects President Prabowo’s strong commitment to maintaining a solid and consistent foreign policy direction. Indonesia should not rely on just one economic power block.
By opening a broad network of cooperation, especially with key countries in the Middle East region, President Prabowo is expanding Indonesia’s diplomatic space and minimizing dependency that could pose a risk to national economic sovereignty.
President Prabowo also showed that diplomacy is not enough to be delivered only through speeches or international conferences. He chose to go directly to the region that is the center of world geopolitical dynamics. The working visit carried a big mission: maintaining national stability through international cooperation based on trust and common interests.
President Prabowo has provided a concrete example of how a head of state can play an active role in dealing with the complexities of global geopolitics. When major powers choose to heat up tensions through economic policy and military influence, Indonesia under his leadership has emerged as a country that encourages dialogue, partnership, and regional stability.
Through active diplomacy manifested in a working visit to the Middle East, President Prabowo emphasized that Indonesia is not just a spectator in world affairs.
Under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Indonesia has been able to take on the role of an important actor ready to contribute positively to creating a new balance in relations between countries. This step deserves high appreciation as a real manifestation of visionary leadership that is oriented towards the future of the nation. (*)
)* The author is a contributor to the Jendela Baca Institute
