President Prabowo Subianto’s debut at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) would 
always attract global and domestic attention. The UNGA is a platform for global performance, 
where leaders present visions not only of world order but also of themselves as statesmen. 
For a leader long marked by controversy, whether over his authoritarian past, transactional 
diplomacy, or reputation for symbolic rather than substantive moves, this speech offered 
Prabowo a chance to shape his image before a global audience. 

It also marked the first time in a decade that an Indonesian president chose to attend the 
Assembly in person. During Joko Widodo’s presidency, Indonesia’s voice at the UNGA was 
delivered through Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, with Jokowi preferring to focus on 
domestic priorities. Therefore, Prabowo’s arrival in New York signalled not just a personal style
but a recalibration: presidential diplomacy is back, and Indonesia wants to be seen by 
the other global payers.