JakartaPost-Oct 2
President Prabowo Subianto has replaced Sugiono with Arrmanatha Nasir as foreign minister, reinstating a career diplomat at the helm of Indonesia’s foreign policy. The appointment was part of a cabinet reshuffle on Thursday in which Prabowo replaced or reassigned several senior officials, marking the third shake-up of his Red-and-White cabinet this year. Sugiono, who also serves as secretary-general of Prabowo’s Gerindra Party, was reassigned as coordinating minister for human development and cultural affairs, replacing Pratikno. Arrmanatha previously served as Sugiono’s deputy at the Foreign Ministry, overseeing internal and multilateral affairs. Speaking to reporters after his inauguration, the 54-year-old said he would build on the government’s existing foreign policy while ensuring that Indonesia’s diplomacy remained consistent with its established priorities amid what he described as a “complicated” global landscape. “We will continue to prioritize matters of national interest, particularly in advancing the Asta Cita, and contributing to and maintaining regional peace and stability,” he continued, referring to Prabowo’s eight-point administration agenda. The Asta Cita includes strengthening the country’s defense and security system and promoting self-sufficiency in food and energy.. A foreign ministry insider since 1997, Arrmanatha is a seasoned diplomat who began his career leading Indonesia’s operational activities desk at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), handling international trade and multilateral negotiations at the Permanent Mission of Indonesia in Geneva. He was later posted to Indonesia’s permanent mission to the UN in New York from 2008 to 2012, where he handled economic and development issues at the General Assembly and ECOSOC, while also negotiating on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China. He also served as an economic adviser to the president of the 65th UN General Assembly. Arrmanatha served as the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson from 2014 to 2019 before being appointed ambassador to France, Andorra and Monaco and Indonesia’s representative to UNESCO.
His appointment marks the return of a career diplomat to the foreign ministry’s top post after Sugiono, a politician and close Prabowo ally, became foreign minister in October 2024.
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