Cairo — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto visited Al Ittihadiya Presidential Palace for a bilateral meeting with President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Prabowo emphasized his commitment to enhancing cooperation between Indonesia and Egypt in various sectors, including trade and education.

Upon his arrival at Al Ittihadiya Palace on Wednesday (December 18), Prabowo was welcomed with a state ceremony and greeted personally by El-Sisi at the palace entrance. The two leaders then held a bilateral discussion.

“In terms of bilateral relations, we have a good foundation, but we aim to strengthen core collaborations in the fields of economics, particularly in trade, industry, technology, education, tourism, and defense. We have agreed to follow up on these discussions. We already have a joint trade council in place,” Prabowo stated after the meeting.

To advance these initiatives, Prabowo announced that Indonesia would soon send a high-level delegation to coordinate with the Egyptian government. Additionally, representatives will engage with Egyptian entrepreneurs to foster business relationships.

“Egypt holds a special place in the hearts of Indonesians because it was the first country to recognize Indonesia’s independence during our struggle against colonial rule. For Indonesians, Egypt is considered a very important nation, and we are eager to continue and strengthen this relationship,” Prabowo explained.

Prabowo also expressed gratitude to Egypt for hosting over 15,000 Indonesian students, most of whom are pursuing their education at Al Azhar University in Cairo.

“We agreed that as a predominantly Muslim population, we aim to collectively uphold and promote moderate Islam—an Islam that embodies tolerance, not suspicion or hatred,” Prabowo added.

Cultural cooperation was another focal point of the discussion. Prabowo highlighted Indonesia’s desire to advance pencak silat, a traditional martial art, which has gained popularity in Egypt.

“If possible, it would be great for pencak silat to become an official sport in Egypt. I’ve received reports that more than 4,000 Egyptian youths are already learning pencak silat,” Prabowo noted.

In response, El-Sisi expressed his appreciation for Prabowo’s visit and assured that the relationship between the two countries is strong.

“A technical team and a joint committee will be established by both nations to oversee the development of Indonesia-Egypt cooperation. God willing, there will be reciprocal visits to monitor and evaluate the progress of our relationship,” El-Sisi stated.

— (RR)