The expansion of Indonesian diplomacy – Editorial

The appointment of politician Sugiono as Minister of Foreign Affairs is quite shocking to many diplomats and officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the ministry has been led by three career diplomats since August 2001. For the first time, the ministry also has three deputy ministers, including a politician.

The ministry will continually receive attention from President Prabowo Subianto due to his interest in boosting Indonesia’s global role. Prabowo’s decision to choose Sugiono was probably based on his close interaction with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the past five years. Prabowo needs a freshman who does not necessarily have enough experience in running the ministry.

Unlike his predecessor, Retno LP Marsudi, who enjoyed a certain degree of autonomy in day-to-day foreign policy activities from then-president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, Sugiono will likely be “linked” to Prabowo, perhaps on a daily basis. This practice is reminiscent of the era of President Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid in 1999-2001, when politician Alwi Shihab served as foreign minister.

President Prabowo will soon summon senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who serve as Indonesia’s ambassadors for a briefing on its foreign policy prospects. Unlike the United States, which has traditionally replaced ambassadors after a change in administration, Indonesian governments typically keep foreign missions unchanged. In Prabowo’s case, he designed a policy of continuity.

In his first 100 days in office, Sugiono must renew the ministry, namely ensuring the effective functions of his three deputies, to avoid overlapping duties and responsibilities. They are MP Muhammad Anis Matta, chairman of the Gelora Party, Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir, who now serves as Indonesia’s Permanent Representative to the UN and Arif Havas Oegroseno, Indonesia’s ambassador to Germany.

In addition to the general secretariat and general inspectorate, the ministry has seven general directorates that deal with Asia-Pacific and Africa; America and Europe; ASEAN; multilateral, information and public diplomacy; international law and agreement; protocol and consular matters.

Every Thursday

Whether you’re looking to broaden your horizons or stay informed on the latest developments, “Viewpoint” is the perfect source for anyone looking to engage with the issues that matter most.

for subscribing to our newsletter!

Please check your email for newsletter subscription.

See more newsletter

Another urgent task for Sugiono is to fill vacant ambassadorial positions, especially with Indonesia’s strategic partners such as the United States. Over the past 10 years, ambassador recruitment has often been slow due to the “push and pull” between the president and the House of Representatives.

Under the leadership of Sugiono, who is an outsider, the ministry can be expected to introduce further advancements, including bureaucratic reforms. The Ministry of Health set a good example of reform for our diplomats.

When former banker Budi Gunadi Sadikin was appointed health minister in 2019, he was met with internal resistance. But he proved his mettle and helped the country survive the COVID-19 pandemic through several advancements and innovations. It is no news that President Prabowo keeps Budi as health minister.

Sugiono, 45, who served as a lawmaker for Prabowo’s Gerindra Party until his appointment last week, is widely seen as the President’s “ideological son”. As President Prabowo is expected to be personally active in crafting and implementing foreign policy, the relationship between him and his chief diplomat will likely be characterized by a top-down affair. On the one hand, Sugiono has a military background, just like Prabowo.

Sugiono made his mark by attending the BRICS Plus Summit in Kazan, Russia, but his first real test in diplomacy will come next month. President Prabowo is expected to travel to Peru to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit and to Brazil for the Group of 20 Summit in November.

From a media point of view, we expect Sugiono to imitate its predecessor Retno, which was accessible to the press. Sugiono will need to speak to the media frequently because he is not well known to the public.

As foreign minister, Sugiono will have to fulfill President Prabowo’s hope that Indonesia will play a much more active role in global affairs, which is why he expanded the foreign service and appointed three deputies to support Sugiono.

We wish good luck to Foreign Minister Sugiono and his diplomatic corps.