Defence Minister and president-elect Prabowo Subianto (second left) talking with Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi (second right) on Sept 13, 2024, ahead of a cabinet meeting at Garuda Palace in Nusantara. - Antara
JAKARTA: The race to become Indonesia’s next foreign policy chief has intensified after Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi announced that she would be taking on a new job outside of government once her term ends next month.
And with president-elect Prabowo Subianto’s side indicating more political consolidation ahead of the transfer of power on Oct 20, it appears increasingly likely that that the position will go to the first political appointee in over 20 years.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Retno his new special envoy on water, the UN announced in a statement on Friday (Sept 13).
The position was created last year at the UN Water Conference in New York, the first major international water forum in almost 50 years.
As envoy, she is expected to push for stronger global cooperation on issues related to water and sanitation, as well as to mobilise action and financial resources to address the global water crisis.
The new role starts on Nov 1, less than two weeks after President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo passes the torch to his successor, Prabowo.
In a prerecorded video statement on Friday, Retno said it was an honour to be the first person to hold the position of special envoy on water, as well as the first Indonesian to become special envoy to the UN chief.
“I will use my experience as a diplomat and foreign minister to carry out the task given by the UN secretary-general,” the minister said.
She added that she had discussed the appointment with President Jokowi and that the president-elect had also given “his full support”.
A career diplomat who made history as the first woman to serve as the country’s foreign minister, Retno has led the diplomatic corps through dire geopolitical straits and the Covid-19 pandemic.
She also led Indonesia as host of dozens of high-profile international events, including during its UN Security Council membership in 2019, the Group of 20 presidency in 2022 and the Asean chairmanship in 2023.
Retno is also noted for her persistent assertions of Indonesia’s opposition to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territory and the ongoing war in Gaza, calling for a permanent ceasefire and global recognition of Palestinian statehood at numerous international forums.
Dewi Fortuna Anwar, an international expert at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), lauded Retno’s UN appointment on Monday.
“As an Indonesian and a woman, I was really proud of her because she set a new benchmark for women in high office," Dewi told The Jakarta Post.
While she might not yet be an expert on water issues, Dewi said, the foreign minister had demonstrated extraordinary leadership and diplomacy throughout her decade-long tenure.
Her ability to mobilise resources and bring together all sides of a debate was showcased during the G20 presidency, Dewi said, which occurred amid high tensions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
"She's a small but tough woman. She can apply pressure with perseverance and grit, exactly the kind of skills necessary for the position," Dewi said.
While several names have been floated to succeed Retno as top diplomat, it remains unclear whom Prabowo will appoint.
With analysts convinced that the former army general will take a more active role in foreign policy than his predecessor, speculation is rife that the position will go to Sugiono, currently the deputy chairman of House of Representatives Commission I overseeing foreign affairs, defence, information and intelligence.
The Gerindra Party politician is part of the president-elect’s inner circle of loyalists, a former Army Special Forces (Kopassus) member and alumnus of Taruna Nusantara, an elite private senior high school in Magelang, Central Java, helped set up by Prabowo, known for its military-style discipline.
Prabowo’s brother and Gerindra senior politician Hashim Djojohadikusumo said previously that four Taruna Nusantara alumni would be in the incoming cabinet, although he did not reveal any names.
Last week, Sugiono led what would was likely Retno’s last meeting with House Commission I, which fuelled further speculation that he could be appointed her successor, considering he rarely leads the commission’s meetings on foreign affairs.
But Sugiono denied that he was involved in Prabowo's cabinet planning, saying it remained the prerogative of the president-elect.
Sugiono said he led Thursday’s meeting with Retno because fellow deputy chairman Teuku Riefky Harsya, a Democratic Party politician who usually presides over meetings with the Foreign Ministry, was absent because of a scheduling conflict, kompas.com reported. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
