Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 07, 2021 (SKNIS): His Excellency (H.E.) Priyo Iswanto, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to St. Kitts and Nevis bade farewell to the Federation as he will be stepping down as ambassador, a post he served since May 2017.
H.E. Iswanto will complete his tour of duty in September 2021. Over the period September 01-08, the ambassador will undertake his farewell visit to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, his final visit since participating in the 2019 edition of Diplomatic Week.
During an interview on September 07 with Lesroy Williams, Director-General of St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service (SKNIS), Ambassador Iswanto recounted his exceptional experience in the Federation.
“I am very satisfied with my service here, being accredited as the first Indonesian Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis. It was an honour for me to serve and to work together with the government here,” said the ambassador. “During the four years, I have been receiving full support from the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis… we have done a lot to make our foundation stronger for our future bilateral relations.”
Ambassador Iswanto said that significant benefits emerged during his four years of service.
“…Small but concrete, we have been able to appoint an honorary consul, the first in this country. I would say that during the process it was the fastest within the bureaucracy of Indonesia because from the past experience when we proposed a candidate to be considered as an honorary consul it took quite a long time before the president signs,” said His Excellency, adding that the timeliness of appointing an honorary consul “indicates the importance” of St. Kitts and Nevis to Indonesia and the importance and attention placed on the relationship between both countries.
In addition to appointing an honorary consul, in 2017, the Government of Indonesia organized for approximately 60 citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis to participate in a batik-making workshop. One single mother was also afforded the opportunity to participate in a one-year batik training at the Indonesia Institute of the Arts, Surakarta, under the Darmasiswa Indonesia Scholarship Programme.
Another area of training included an International Workshop on Disaster Risk Management in 2018. Also in 2018, the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum was held. St. Kitts and Nevis supported the creation of the AIS organization and the establishment of the 2018 forum to be used as a vehicle for effectively focusing and tackling issues relating to climate change and the marine environment which is in line with Sustainable Development Goal # 14.
The Governments of Indonesia and the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis established diplomatic relations on January 30, 2014. On February 01, 2019, the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis extended a visa waiver to citizens of the Republic of Indonesia who are holders of ordinary passports, thus completing a reciprocal visa waiver between the two countries. Additionally, the move underscored St. Kitts and Nevis government’s commitment to strengthening ties with the Government and people of Indonesia.
