The Foreign Minister Ensures That The Names Of The Candidates For The Indonesian Ambassador Have Reached The DPR In The Next Two Days

JAKARTA - Foreign Minister Sugiono confirmed that within the next one to two days, a letter regarding the proposed name of the ambassador candidate for a friendly country had reached the DPR. One of the ambassadors of an empty strategic country, namely the Indonesian Embassy to the United States.

"I think this is also our fault so that this process does not take place quickly and smoothly. But what is certain is that for the several posts mentioned, I hope that in one or two days there has been a letter to the DPR to get these important positions to be filled immediately," said Foreign Minister Sugiono in a working meeting with Commission I DPR, Monday, June 30.

Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can still carry out all representative tasks in countries where there are no ambassadors quite smoothly, Sugiono admits that the ambassador position is very important.

"Because it is impossible for our country not to be filled with ambassadors and large countries," he said.

Sugiono admitted that finding an Indonesian ambassador for friendly countries is not easy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he said, needed to calculate and consider the competence of ambassador candidates.

"It is not easy to find ambassadors like Pak Havas and Pak Tata. So it will take time and Alhamdulillah, we can complete all the processes at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," said Sugiono.

"And some ambassadors are actually in this room but have not been able to leave because the process from the accreditation country is still ongoing and hopefully in one or two days the proposal will arrive at the DPR," he continued.

Previously, Deputy Chairman of Commission I of the DPR Anton Sukartono asked Foreign Minister Sugiono to immediately appoint and send the names of the candidates for the Indonesian ambassador.

"We have data that there are 12 vacant Indonesian Embassys without ambassadors, the United States from 2023, because the ambassadors were appointed as Deputy Minister of BUMN, PBB, New York from 2024, their ambassadors became Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the German ambassador became Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs as well, the Geneva UN, the ambassador was Deputy Minister of National Development Planning and National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas). North Korean Ambassador from 2021 has been withdrawn because of COVID-19 until now there has been no", Anton said in a working meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.

"We both understand that the ambassador is the most important factor, sir, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, apart from protecting our Indonesian citizens, our diplomacy, and so on. If I want this empty one to be filled immediately, whatever the reason," he continued.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also asked to prepare the names of potential replacement ambassadors for Mexico and Japan whose term of office is coming to an end.

"Just prepare a replacement, there is a time to fit and proper, there is also time to be inaugurated. If it takes a long time, it's not good for the country concerned," he said.