TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden arrived in Jakarta on Friday, September 4, 2026, for a four-day visit as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). During her stay, Victoria will observe various development initiatives implemented by the Indonesian government in partnership with the UNDP and other stakeholders.
Victoria traveled alongside Diana Janse, Sweden's State Secretary for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade. Minister of National Development Planning/Bappenas Head Rachmat Pambudy officially welcomed Crown Princess Victoria upon her arrival in Jakarta. "We are delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden to Indonesia as an Honorary Ambassador of UNDP," Rachmat said, as quoted in a UNDP press release on Friday, September 4, 2026.
Rachmat noted that Indonesia and the UNDP have collaborated for decades to advance various development priorities. He stated that the government remains committed to extending this cooperation to scale up viable solutions while mobilizing resources and expertise for sustainable and inclusive growth.
On the first day of her itinerary, Victoria toured the Eijkman Building in Jakarta, accompanied by Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin. She was briefed on the Biomedical and Genome Science Initiative (BGSi), a national program launched by the Ministry of Health to bolster precision medicine-based healthcare and disease outbreak preparedness.
The UNDP supports the initiative through technical assistance in policy formulation, infrastructure enhancement, health worker training, and the application of genomic data for early disease detection. Genomic insights are also utilized to tailor effective patient treatments and accelerate the identification and management of health crises.
Indonesia aims to sequence 400,000 genomes by 2030 under its 2026–2030 National Genomic Strategy. The integration of genomic science is expected to enhance early diagnosis, deliver personalized medical care, and inform data-driven health policy.
Victoria subsequently visited the National Monument (Monas), the Istiqlal Mosque, and the Jakarta Cathedral. At Istiqlal Mosque, she was escorted by Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar before proceeding to the Jakarta Cathedral across the street. The Istiqlal Mosque and Jakarta Cathedral are connected by the Silaturahmi Tunnel. The two places of worship serve as symbols of religious diversity and interfaith harmony in Jakarta.
UNDP Resident Representative in Indonesia, Sara Ferrer Olivella, noted that Indonesia's development fundamentally centers on enhancing the well-being of its citizens. She added that development includes building societal readiness for future challenges while safeguarding cultural diversity and natural resources. "Indonesia’s development journey is ultimately about people," Olivella said.
Following her agenda in Jakarta, Victoria will travel to Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. She is scheduled to review coral reef conservation and marine ecosystem initiatives conducted in partnership with coastal communities.
The project fosters sustainable livelihoods by integrating eco-tourism, sustainable fisheries, and economic endeavors reliant on healthy marine ecosystems. The visit will also highlight efforts to link conservation investments directly to improved community welfare.
In Lombok, Victoria will also meet with communities affected by the 2018 earthquake. Regional recovery programs focus on rebuilding schools, medical facilities, and public infrastructure, alongside enhancing community resilience and economic opportunities.
Victoria's visits to Jakarta and Lombok are part of the UNDP's broader effort to highlight development partnerships in Indonesia, spanning health technology, environmental stewardship, and post-disaster recovery.
Crown Princess Victoria was appointed a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador in October 2023. In this capacity, she advocates for public awareness and active engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while promoting sustainable development.
Crown Princess Victoria Ingrid Alice Désirée, 49, was born in Stockholm on July 14, 1977. She is the eldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia and the heir apparent to the Swedish throne. Victoria became heir to the throne after Sweden amended its succession laws in 1980 to adopt absolute primogeniture.
Victoria attended Enskilda Upper Secondary School in Stockholm before studying political science at Stockholm University. She also completed a diplomatic training program at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 2006–2007 and was posted to Sweden's Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels.
As heir to the throne, Victoria places special emphasis on environmental issues, climate change, sustainability, peace, and international development. From 2016 to 2019, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed her as one of 17 SDG Advocates. She was subsequently appointed a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador in October 2023, with her mandate extended for two years in 2025.
In her ambassadorial role, Victoria has traveled internationally to spotlight UNDP initiatives focused on climate action, poverty alleviation, gender equality, digital inclusion, and community resilience. Her previous missions included visits to Bangladesh in 2024 and Nigeria in 2025.
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