VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Located in the Royal Palace of Lesotho, Ambassador Salman Al Farisi submitted the Credentials to the King of Lesotho, His Majesty King Letsie III. State procession for the Indonesian LBBP Ambassador who has the accreditation of the Republic of South Africa with the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Kingdom of Eswatini, and the Republic of Botswana (9/5)

At the ceremony, the King of Lesotho was accompanied by officials of the Royal Lesotho government, while the Indonesian Ambassador in Pretoria was accompanied by Ms. Umi Al Farisi and Indonesian Embassy officials in Pretoria.

The ceremony began with the submission of the Indonesian  Ambassador's credentials from the President of the Republic of Indonesia to the King of Lesotho, then continued with a military procession. The Indonesian Ambassador in Pretoria had the opportunity to inspect the military forces of the Royal Lesotho who appeared in colorful uniforms. The military reception was held in the main park area of ​​the palace, followed by listening to the national anthem of Indonesia Raya and the national anthem of the Kingdom of Lesotho.

During the submission of credentials, the Indonesian Ambassador conveyed a variety of potential that had not been explored and committed to continue to improve RI-Lesotho cooperation during his assignment. One proof of Indonesia's seriousness in increasing engagement with Lesotho is inviting the presence of the Government of Lesotho and related business actors to participate in the Indonesia-Africa Infrastructure Dialogue (IAID) which will take place in August 2019. IAID is a follow-up to the implementation of the Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) successfully implemented in 2018, where Lesotho participated by sending its representatives.

In his remarks, King Letsie III appreciated the Asian-African spirit which always underlies the good relations between the two countries. In the future, King Lesotho expects closer cooperation in the sectors of trade, tourism, agriculture, information technology and telecommunications.

After the submission of the Letters of Trust took place, the King of Lesotho was pleased to talk to Ambassador Salman Al Farisi in person, and again emphasized the importance of the two countries to enhance cooperation in various sectors.

On the sidelines of his official visit, Ambassador Salman Al Farisi also had the opportunity to hold a meeting with high ranking officials of the Kingdom of Lesotho, including Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The Indonesian Ambassador in his statement to high ranking Lesotho officials expressed his desire to advance cooperation in strategic industrial sectors such as infrastructure, weapons, textiles and the digital economy. The Indonesian Ambassador also underlined the role of RI as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council which continues to mainstream the African agenda.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Lesotho, Hon. Monyane Moleleki, welcomed the invitation of IAID and hoped that Indonesia would continue to improve various capacity building programs. The Lesotho PM Deputy also acknowledged Indonesia's role in the Peacekeeping Force, and made Indonesia a role model in Lesotho's efforts to actively participate in similar programs in Africa.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Lesotho International Cooperation, Hon. Halebonoe Sets'abi, assured that his team would fully support the implementation of the Indonesian Ambassador's duties in Pretoria in an effort to improve relations between the two countries, including welcoming the proposal to start a discussion on a visa-free agreement for diplomatic and official officials.

Lesotho is a landlocked country in the southern part of the Republic of South Africa. Diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Lesotho have been going on since 1993. Ambassador Salman Al Farisi who arrived in Pretoria, South Africa on June 9, 2018, is the seventh Ambassador of the Indonesian LBBP in Pretoria. (Source: Pretoria Indonesian Embassy)