President Prabowo Subianto arrived at Orly Airport in Paris, France, on Tuesday (May 26th) around 9:50 AM local time, marking the commencement of his state visit to France.
Cabinet Secretary, Lieutenant Colonel Teddy Indra Wijaya of the Indonesian Army, explained that the state visit had been originally scheduled for last year. However, the agenda underwent several reschedulings before finally taking place this year.
Upon his arrival at Orly Airport, Prabowo was warmly welcomed by the French Minister of Labor and Solidarity, Jean-Pierre Farandou, and was presented with a guard of honor.
Beyond the official reception from the French government, hundreds of Indonesian citizens also greeted Prabowo at his hotel. They had been waiting since early morning to welcome their president.
Teddy stated that this state visit is anticipated to further strengthen the strategic relationship between Indonesia and France. He highlighted that the two nations are already engaged in various strategic collaborations across multiple sectors.
“Currently, Indonesia has many super-strategic partnerships with France, and this state visit is expected to further solidify Indonesia’s position in Europe, particularly in France,” Teddy said in a press statement released by the Press, Media, and Information Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (May 26th).
Teddy further elaborated on the bilateral ties, describing the relationship between Indonesia and France as complementary within the global context. Indonesia is recognized as a primary gateway for European relations into Asia, while France serves as a crucial entry point for Asian, especially Southeast Asian, connections to the European region.
Before embarking on his official state agenda, President Prabowo is scheduled to perform the Eid al-Adha prayers and hold a gathering with Indonesian citizens residing in Paris at the Indonesian Embassy’s premises. “President Prabowo is scheduled to perform the Eid al-Adha prayers and have a gathering with Indonesian citizens at the Indonesian Embassy in Paris,” Teddy confirmed.