JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia (Kemlu) has provided clarification regarding the incident where several delegates at the D-8 Summit walked out of the room during President Prabowo Subianto’s speech. The incident took place during the D-8 Summit held in Cairo, Egypt, from December 17-19, 2024.

The walkout attracted attention after a video showing delegates leaving the room surfaced.

According to Kemlu spokesperson Rolliansyah Soemirat, the walkout was linked to parallel meetings, which are common at international conferences.

“It is normal for delegates to leave and re-enter the room during such events, including those at the United Nations,” he explained in a message on Sunday. These departures were due to the necessity of attending multiple side meetings happening simultaneously.

Soemirat clarified that during international meetings like the D-8 Summit, delegations often hold bilateral discussions in separate rooms, allowing them to address various matters without disrupting the main event. These side meetings are scheduled to take place alongside the plenary sessions, meaning that delegates must occasionally leave the room to participate in them.

He further explained that leaving the room during speeches is a standard practice in international forums. Each delegation has the right to decide when their representative should stay in the room or step out for another engagement. This flexibility is important to ensure the smooth operation of the summit while allowing delegates to engage in other vital discussions.

The Kemlu spokesperson, who is also known as Roy, reassured that despite the walkout, President Prabowo had ample opportunity to meet with other heads of delegations both before and after the summit. These meetings included a friendly exchange between President Prabowo and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.