"Indeed, just now, there were bilateral meetings to give those ambassadors the opportunity to develop a more personal relationship with the president and to convey the priorities of bilateral cooperation with each country," Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi said here, Tuesday, after accompanying the Head of State to the meetings with the new ambassadors.
During the meetings, they discussed economic cooperation and technical cooperation. The ambassadors of Namibia and Zambia, for instance, expressed appreciation to the Indonesian government over the establishment of technical cooperation with their countries in the field of agriculture.
With the new German ambassador, the talks were focused on vocational training, while Jokowi and the Saudi ambassador discussed investments in oil refineries, low-cost housing and tourism.
Jokowi and the new Turkish ambassador discussed the continuation of cooperation in the energy sector and the protection of Indonesian students in Turkey following the failed coup.
Minister/State Secretary Pratikno and Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung were also present at the meetings.
The new ambassadors who presented their letters of credentials to the President, include Mehmet Kadri Sander Gurbuz from Turkey, Mohamed Abdulia M bin Mutleq Alghafli of the United Arab Emirates, Peter MacArthur of Canada, Michael Freiherr von Ungern-Strenber of Czech, Phavanh Nuanthasing of Germany, Helena Steinhausi of Austria, Deborah Ho Ng de Cigley of Panama, Gonzalo Mendoza Negri of Chile, Ahmed bin Jassim Mohammed Ali Al-Hamar of Qatar, Ahmed Amr Ahmed Moawad of Egypt, Osama Mohammad Abdullah Alshuaibi of Saudi Arabia, Jose Renato Salazar Acosta of Colombia, Clement Philip Ricardo Allicock of Jamaica, Helena Drnovsek Zorko of Slovenia, Hinauri Petana of Austria, Walubita Imakando of Zambia, Yahya Ngam of Mauritania, Yazkuli Mammedov of Turkmenistan, and Anne Namakau Mutelo of Nambia.
The ambassadors were welcomed with a military ceremony, along with the singing of their national anthems.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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