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Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi

Minister of Foreign Affairs

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Retno LP Marsudi was appointed Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia on October 27, 2014. 

Minister Retno is the first female Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. 

Since Retno Marsudi assumed office as Foreign Minister, Indonesia has continued its leadership role and strived to be part of the solution to many regional and global issues. Her leadership was shown when Indonesia hosted, among others, the 60th Commemorative Asian-African Conference on April 2015, an extraordinary summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif in Jakarta in 2016 and the first IORA Summit in 2017.  

Indonesian diplomacy, under Retno Marsudi, is committed in pursuing mitigation of humanitarian crisis in the Asia-Pacific region. In the face of humanitarian crisis in Rakhine State, for instance, Indonesia conducted Marathon Diplomacy for Humanity to end the humanitarian situation and to help restore peace and stability in Rakhine State. Moreover, Indonesia is also committed in maintaining centrality and unity of ASEAN in order to deal with formidable regional and global challenges. 

Under her leadership, Indonesia initiated the Trilateral cooperation (Indonesia - Malaysia-the Philippines) to respond to security challenges in Sulu waters and its surroundings. Indonesia also initiated the trilateral cooperation to counter terrorism, after the terrorist attack in Marawi. 

Minister Retno  received the Agent of Change award from the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the Global Partnership Forum (GPF) at the UN General Assembly in New York on September 20, 2017 as acknowledgement of the work Indonesia has pursued, especially to promote the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as to contribute to peace, stability, and humanity through diplomacy. 

Prior to the appointment of Foreign Minister, she served as Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway and the Republic of Iceland (2005 – 2008) and Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands (2012-2014).  Serving as Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway, she has contributed immensely to strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and the Kingdom of Norway. For this acknowledgement, she was granted the Order of Merit (Grand Officer-the Second Highest Decoration) by the King of Norway on December 2011, making her the first Indonesian to receive this esteemed distinction.

When Minister Retno was Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, she has successfully restored and even elevated bilateral relations between Indonesia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands to a higher level. As a result, she was awarded with the Ridder Grootkruis in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau from the King of the Netherlands. The medal has been awarded directly by King Willem-Alexander der Nederlanden, at Noordeinde Palace, Den Haag on January 12, 2015. 

From 2008 to 2012, Minister Retno served as the Director General for America and Europe. During her tenure, Indonesia has established a Strategic /Comprehensive Partnership with other countries, including the US, the EU, and Brazil. She began her career with the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in 1986.

Minister Retno graduated in 1985 from Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, as an International Relations major. Over the years, she has also pursued several other studies, namely on “European Union Law” at the Haagse Hogeschool in Den Haag, and the “Human Rights Study” at Oslo University.

Minister Retno is married to Agus Marsudi, an architect from Gadjah Mada University and Leiden University. They are blessed with two sons: Dyota Marsudi and Bagas Marsudi.