Presiden Joko Widodo departs for Afganistan

Jakarta (Antaranews Babel) - President Joko Widodo and First Lady Iriana departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka, Monday, 9:20 a.m. local time, for a state visit to Afghanistan, Bey Machmudin, presidential secretariat spokesman, noted in a press statement.

President Widodo proceeded with his plan to visit Afghanistan despite news of bombings in the country on the previous day and in the morning prior to his departure to Kabul.

Following his arrival in Kabul, President Widodo will visit the Arg presidential palace where he will be greeted by President Ashraf Ghani.

Widodo and Ghani will hold a one-on-one meeting and later issue a joint press statement.

The Indonesian head of state will hold a meeting with the leader and members of the High Peace Council of Afghanistan at the Haram Sarai Palace.

Widodo will attend a luncheon at the Arg presidential palace and will visit the Darul Aman Palace in the afternoon.

The President and his entourage are scheduled to return to Jakarta following the state visit to Afghanistan.

Members of the presidential entourage include Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, and Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung.

President Widodo and First Lady Iriana are on a tour of five South Asian countries on Feb 24-29.

Jokowi's official state visits to five South Asian countries -- Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan -- focus on creating new opportunities for economic cooperation.

In India, Jokowi had attended the ASEAN Special Commemorative Summit in New Delhi on Jan 25-26.

Minister Retno Marsudi had earlier revealed that the president's visit to Afghanistan was a follow-up of the request by the Afghan government to Indonesia to assist in its peace-building process.

Indonesia has encouraged holding several meetings in a bid to build peace in Afghanistan in addition to offering some assistance, such as training, exchange of clerics, and education for women's empowerment.