The president and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono were seen off by South Sumatra Governor Alex Noerdin from Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin-II International Airport.
The special Garuda Indonesia jetliner Airbus A330-300 with President Yudhoyono and his entourage on board took off from the airport at 8 on Saturday morning for a 14-hour flight to Honolulu.
The presidential entourage including Coordinating Minister for Economy Hatta Rajasa, National Economic Commission chairman Chairul Tandjung, and presidential advisory council member Hassan Wirayuda, while Trade Minister Gita Wiryawan, Industry Minister MS Hidayat, and Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, will join the president and the First Lady in Honolulu later.
The Indonesian head of state will be in Honolulu for three days until November 14, 2011 along with other heads of state/government from 21 APEC member countries.
Themed "21st Economies for the 21st Century," the APEC forum this time has three priorities, namely to strengthen regional economic integration and trade expansion, to promote green economic development, and to cooperate in promoting the rules of convergence.
Presidential special staff for international relations Teuku Faizasyah said in a statement on Friday that the discussion of state/government leaders in the APEC forum would cover the issues of growth and employment, competitiveness, and energy efficiency and security.
He said President Yudhoyono and the prime ministers of Japan, Singapore, and Canada would have a dialog with leading businessmen in Asia Pacific under the coordination of APEC Business Advisory Council.
Besides attending APEC Summit, President Yudhoyono will also hold a breakfast meeting with the United States and Indonesian businessmen.
The meeting will be a good opportunity for Indonesia to encourage the business makers from the two countries to step up their cooperation.
In addition, the Indonesia president will have a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
