RSIS Distinguished Public Lecture by Her Excellency Retno L.P. Marsudi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia

Lecture Abstract:

Indonesia’s foreign policy is often shaped and evolves in accordance to the President’s vision and foreign policy orientation. Indonesia’s current foreign policy is no exception. President Joko Widodo’s vision of nawacita (9 agendas) and trisakti principle, as well as his emphasis on maritime and people-oriented diplomacy, marked a significant departure from the previous administration’s approach to foreign policy. Despite the shift in Indonesia’s foreign policy orientation, certain aspects of its foreign policy, such as its role in ASEAN, would remain. In addition, a focus on Indonesia’s immediate strategic environment also persists. What are the key objectives of Indonesia’s foreign policy under President Widodo’s administration? What are Indonesia’s role in both key regional forums, such as ASEAN and ASEAN nurtured regional institutions, and global forums under President Widodo’s administration? What are Indonesia’s strategies in dealing with challenges relating to its immediate strategic environment?

We are privileged to have Her Excellency Ibu Retno Marsudi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, to share her thoughts on Indonesia’s foreign policy under President Joko Widodo’s Administration.

About the Speaker:

Born in Semarang (Central Java), Ibu Retno Marsudi graduated from Gadjah Mada University (Yogyakarta) in 1985 where she studied International Relations. She then received a Master’s degree in International European Law & Policy from The Hague University of Applied Science and followed the Foreign Ministry training program at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael.

After graduating from Gadjah Mada University, Ibu Retno joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She started her career as a staff at the Bureau of Analysis and Evaluation of ASEAN Cooperation. She served as First Secretary for Economic Affairs at the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands between 1997 and 2001. In 2001, she was appointed Director of Europe and America Affairs and was Director of West Europe Affairs in 2003. During her tenure as Indonesian Ambassador to Norway and Iceland, she was awarded the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit in December 2011, the first Indonesian to obtain the award. She was also actively involved in various multilateral negotiations and bilateral consultations with European Union (EU), Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC). Prior to being appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs by President Joko Widodo in October 2014, she was the Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands.