President Yudhoyono Leaves for Palembang

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and First Lady Mrs Ani Yudhoyono on Sunday left for Palembang, provincial capital of South Sumatra for a working visit until Monday.

The President and party were scheduled to take off at Halim Perdanakusuma airport, East Jakarta, at 10am.

Yudhoyono will officially open the Third Islamic Solidarity Games (ISG) at the Glora Jakabaring   Sports Complex Stadium, Palembang,  Sunday evening.

The ISG is a sports week among countries grouped in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) which included favorite football.

The games will feature competitions in 13 branches of athletics, aquatics, archery, badminton, basketball, soccer, karate, tae kwon do, tennis, volleyball, beach volleyball, weightlifting, and wushu.

Some matches have already been played, including basketball on Sunday (Sept 15) and football (Sept 19).

The soccer matches commenced before the ISG's official opening ceremony on September 22.

Forty-four countries will take part in the games, including Algeria, Azerbaijan, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Morroco, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria and Tajikistan.

Others include Turkmenistan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Mauritania, Gambia, Nigeria, Jordan, Togo, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Cameroon, Mozambique, Lebanon, Tunis, Somalia, Bahrain, Jibouti, Bangladesh and Chad.

The event will be participated in by around 3,200 athletes and officials from a number of Muslim countries. The ISG will last from September 22 to October 1, 2013. (*/DWA)