Yudhoyono Bids Farewell as Indonesian President at WEFEA

Manila (Antara Bali) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who will end his second term of office in October, bid farewell to participants of the World Economic Forum on East Asia (WEFEA) in Manila, Philippines, on Thursday evening.

"This is the last time that I will have the honor to address this forum as the Indonesian president. In the future, I will likely be seated behind, and I hope with kindness Professor Schwab (Klaus Schwab) will give me a good seat," he said to the applause of the audience.

In the opening session of the forum, President Yudhoyono joined Philippine President Benigno S Aquino III, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Myanmar Vice President U Nyan Tun.

The forum brought together some 600 participants from 30 countries and featured speakers from different walks of life, including government officials, academics, and private executives.

World Economic Forum (WEF) was set up in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1971. The forum convenes its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Several Indonesian ministers, including Education Minister M Nuh, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Chairul Tandjung, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi and Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam also attended the meeting.

Yudhoyono expressed gratitude to Professor Schwab, who is the founder and executive chairman of the WEF, for the solid meeting and to the WEF for its great contribution to global peace and advancement.

At the forum, the Indonesian leader will also be bestowed with the Global Statesmen Award on Friday.

President Yudhoyono attended the annual meeting of WEF in Davos in 2011. Also in 2011, Indonesia hosted the WEF on East Asia. President Yudhoyono cancelled a plan to attend the annual meeting of WEF in Davos in 2014, as he had to focus on mitigation efforts to alleviate the burden of victims from the eruption of Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra. (WDY)