His Excellency Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President of Indonesia

About President Yudhoyono
General TNI (Ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, popularly known as SBY, was born in Pacitan, East Java, on 9 September 1949. He graduated from the Military Academy in 1973-top in his class. He received his fourth star in 2000. In the first-ever direct presidential election in Indonesia in 2004, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, running on a platform for "more just, more peaceful, more prosperous, and more democratic Indonesia", was elected as the 6th President of the Republic of Indonesia, gaining a landslide 60% of the popular vote over the incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

President Yudhoyono is also an accomplished scholar. He was educated in the United States, where he received his Masters degree in Management from Webster University in 1991. He continued his study and earned a Doctorate Degree in Agricultural Economics from Bogor Institute of Agriculture, West Java, Indonesia, in 2004. President Yudhoyono was awarded with two honorary doctorates in 2005, respectively in the field of law from his alma mater, Webster University, and in political science from Thammasat University in Thailand.

During his 27-year distinguished military service, President Yudhoyono took an extensive range of training, education and courses, both in Indonesia and overseas. President Yudhoyono also held numerous important posts and positions as troop and territorial commander, staff officer, trainer and lecturer.

Prior to being elected, President Yudhoyono held various important government positions, including Minister of Mining and Energy and Co-ordinating Minister for Political, Social, and Security Affairs in the National Unity Cabinet under President Abdurrahman Wahid. He again served as Co-ordinating Minister for Political, Social, and Security Affairs in the Gotong Royong Cabinet under President Megawati Soekarnoputri. It was in his capacity as Coordinating Minister that he became internationally recognized for leading Indonesia's counter-terrorism efforts.

Public Address:
During his speech, President Yudhoyono spoke about “Economic Security Threats: Are responses adequate?”
He said that the countries in the Asia-Pacific region can do better only if governments and businesses can muster the political will to respond more effectively, allocate the necessary resources and improve how they work together to address the common challenges.

The President of Indonesia is convinced that through dialogue and diplomacy, the Asia-Pacific leaders can also address the proliferation of nuclear weapons in Asia. This should remain a top priority issue for all the APEC member economies. The President states that they (the leaders) must strengthen the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) as the cornerstone of disarmament.
For the long-term survival of humankind, we must work for the abolition of all weapons of mass destruction.
To conclude, the President said: It is important for an organization like APEC to provide the solutions to our new economic challenges before they become threats and to ensure APEC does not have solutions imposed on us from outside.

Written by Armando Regil