New York. President Prabowo Subianto has bestowed the Order of Distinguished Stars on Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, recognizing his long-standing contributions to Indonesia in health, research, and humanitarian work.

“I confer this honor to Bill Gates,” Prabowo said after meeting Gates in New York on Tuesday, following his speech at the United Nations General Assembly. 

Prabowo said Gates has provided extraordinary support to Indonesia, particularly in seed research, medicine, and vaccine development. He estimated contributions from Gates and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation at Rp7 trillion to Rp8 trillion ($450 million to $520 million), with broader impacts of around Rp75 trillion ($4.5 billion)

He added that Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund, Danantara, has maintained close communication with the Gates Foundation to explore further partnerships in humanitarian projects. These efforts include supporting vulnerable communities, tackling poverty and hunger, and expanding access to education.

“Education is the key to our future,” Prabowo said.

The meeting between the two figures lasted about 15 minutes before Prabowo returned to the UN headquarters for a series of closed-door discussions.

Gates last visited Jakarta in May, when he met Prabowo to discuss sustainable development initiatives in global health, nutrition, financial inclusion, and digital infrastructure. During that visit, Prabowo announced his plan to grant Gates Indonesia’s top honor for his contributions, not only to Indonesians but to the wider world.

Past recipients of the Order of Distinguished Stars include Shoichiro Toyoda, chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation from 1992 to 1999 and honorary chairman until his death in 2023; FIFA President Gianni Infantino; and Lippo Group founder Mochtar Riady.