Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi:
Our Diplomats Must Change Their Mindsets

RETNO Marsudi is the first woman in Indonesia to be foreign minister. In today's complex world, she has an array of issues to manage on the nation's behalf: migrant workers, maritime and land border negotiations with neighboring countries, Indonesia's role in international fora and recently, as instructed by President Joko Widodo, that diplomats must also function as marketeers.

So under the leadership of Madam Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, a diplomat today must also be knowledgeable in trade and marketing, in addition to the regular tasks of maintaining diplomatic relations and consular services for Indonesian citizens overseas. Her cellphone is kept busy by crisis calls of various nature, but what she cares most about is the fate of Indonesian workers abroad. Recently, at a wedding reception, she received news that an Indonesian domestic worker had run away from her place of work in Khartoum, Sudan, unable to endure any longer the maltreatment she received at the hands of her employer. Retno immediately called her ambassador there and in minutes, the unfortunate woman was in safe hands.

December 23, 2014