February 2, 2026 | 10:02 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Sitting at the same table with United States President Donald Trump, President Prabowo Subianto offered a thin smile as the Republican Party politician greeted him and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as “tough guys” during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland on Thursday, January 22, 2026. Spread before Prabowo and Orbán was the charter for the Board of Peace, a body formed by Trump to address conflicts around the world.
Prabowo remained still as Trump patted him twice on the shoulder. He returned Trump’s handshake after signing the charter to signal Indonesia’s decision to join the Board of Peace. Prabowo described the move as a historic opportunity and a chance to help secure peace in Palestine.
News of Indonesia’s entry into the Board of Peace sent shockwaves. Foreign policy experts questioned the decision to join a body established by the United States, Israel’s closest ally. They doubted peace in Palestine could be achieved through an institution created by a country that backed Israel’s military. The requirement of a US$1 billion contribution (roughly Rp 17 trillion) for permanent membership added to the controversy.
An explanation came from Foreign Minister Sugiono on Friday, January 23, 2026, a day after the signing. He acknowledged that the decision had been made just two days before the event, when Prabowo was already in Switzerland. “Frankly, the process was rather fast,” Sugiono said in Bad Ragaz, Switzerland.
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