A delegation from the Swedish Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs visited Indonesia 1-5 September. Headed by Ms. Kerstin Engle from the Social Democratic Party, the other members of the delegation are Ms Ann-Marie Pålsson (the Moderate Party), Mr Hans Linde (the Left Party), Ms Carin Runeson (Social Democratic Party). Ms Eva Kvarfordt, the Committee Secretary and the Swedish ambassador to Indonesia, Ms A M Bolin Pennegård were accompanying the delegation during their visit to Indonesia.
The delegation got a good insight into current Indonesian affairs and was very well received in Indonesia. Their visit also attracted the interest of the Indonesian media. The consultations in Jakarta covered bilateral, regional and global issues.
Meetings with high Government representatives and officials, including the Secretary General of the Indonesian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Mr Imron Cotan, the Speaker of the Parliament, Mr Agung Laksono and members of Commision I of the Parliament, academics, NGO:s, think tanks and business representatives were included in the program. The delegation also met with the Secretary General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan.
Some members of the delegation also went to Aceh on 4-5 September, where they met with the Vice Governor, the Speaker of the Aceh Parliament, representative of the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Executing Agency for Aceh and Nias (BRR) and the EU House in Aceh. They also witnessed the impressive reconstruction in Aceh following the tsunami in 2004 and the democratisation process in Aceh.
