Prabowo apologizes after 17 foreign envoys await credentials

The government finally began accepting letters of credence from foreign ambassadors at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday, June 8, 2026, after at least 17 ambassadorial nominees had waited for months. Deputy Foreign Minister Anis Matta said President Prabowo Subianto apologized for the delay and attributed it to the president's very busy schedule. State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi added that the credential ceremony was deliberately combined with the swearing-in agenda for efficiency. The delay had earlier drawn criticism from Dino Patti Djalal, who said some diplomats waited up to eight months and warned of the impact on Indonesia's diplomatic image. According to Anis, ambassadors who have already submitted their credentials include those from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Czech Republic, Greece, Palestine, Lebanon, South Korea, and Saint Lucia.