On October 20, Secretary of State John Kerry led a Presidential Delegation to Jakarta, Indonesia to attend President Joko Widodo’s inauguration. Members of the delegation included U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Robert Blake, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel, Director of the Peace Corps Carolyn Hessler-Radelet, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and Former U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Education for International and Foreign Language Education Mohamed Abdel-Kader.
While in Jakarta, Secretary Kerry attended the inauguration at the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) on the morning of October 20. He also had a series of bilateral meetings with leaders from around the globe including Prime Minister Najib of Malaysia, Prime Minister Abbott of Australia, Prime Minister Loong of Singapore, and Foreign Secretary del Rosario of the Philippines. In the evening, he met with President Widodo at the Merdeka Palace and conveyed President Obama’s regards and congratulations on the occasion of his inauguration. Secretary Kerry and President Widodo discussed a wide range of issues in the bilateral relationship, with a particular focus on ways to continue the strong partnership that exists between the United States and Indonesia.
