Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi (born 27 November 1962) is an Indonesian

diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...

who formerly served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet of Joko Widodo between 2014 and 2024. She is the first female minister appointed to the post. She was previously the Indonesian Ambassador to the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

from 2012 to 2014, as well as Ambassador to

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

and

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

from 2005 to 2008.

Early life and education

Marsudi was born Retno Lestari Priansari and was born on 27 November 1962 in Semarang, Central Java, as the eldest child and daughter of the five children of Moch Sidik (1934–2016), a high school teacher and veteran soldier, and Retno Werdiningsih (b. 1940), a high school employee. She graduated from SMAN 3 Semarang and continued her study in

International Relations International relations (IR, and also referred to as international studies, international politics, or international affairs) is an academic discipline. In a broader sense, the study of IR, in addition to multilateral relations, concerns al ...

, graduating from

Gadjah Mada University Gadjah Mada University (; , abbreviated as UGM) is a public research university located in Sleman, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Officially founded on 19 December 1949, Gadjah Mada University is one of the oldest and largest institut ...

in 1985. She then pursued a

Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...

in International European Law & Policy at The Hague University of Applied Science and followed the Foreign Ministry training program at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael.

Diplomatic service

Europe

Marsudi joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from university. Between 1997 and 2001, Marsudi served as First Secretary for Economic Affairs at the Indonesian Embassy in

The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...

, Netherlands. In 2001, she was appointed as Director of Europe and America Affairs. Marsudi was promoted to Director of West Europe Affairs in 2003.

Norway and Iceland

In 2005, Marsudi was appointed as the Indonesian Ambassador to Norway and Iceland. During her tenure, she was awarded the

Royal Norwegian Order of Merit The Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (Norwegian: ''Den Kongelige Norske Fortjenstorden'' (Bokmål) or ''Den Kongelege Norske Fortenesteordenen'' (Nynorsk)) was instituted by King Olav V in 1985. It is awarded to foreigners, Norwegian citizens livin ...

in December 2011, the first Indonesian to receive the award. She also briefly took up the study of human rights at the

University of Oslo The University of Oslo (; ) is a public university, public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation#Europe, oldest university in Norway. Originally named the Royal Frederick Univ ...

. Marsudi returned to

Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...

and was appointed Director General for European and American Affairs.

Netherlands

Marsudi was appointed as Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands in 2011 by President

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (born 9 September 1949), commonly referred to as SBY, is an Indonesian politician and retired Indonesian Army, army general who served as the sixth president of Indonesia from 2004 to 2014 and the second president of Ind ...

. She has also led various multilateral negotiations and bilateral consultations with the EU,

ASEM Asem (also spelled Aasem, Assem, Asim, Aasim, Assim ') is a male given name of Arabic origin, which means "savior, protector, guardian, defender." Asem is also a female given name of Kazakh origin, which means "beauty, beautiful, refined, gracef ...

, and FEALAC.

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Appointment

On 27 October 2014, Marsudi was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs by President

Joko Widodo Joko Widodo (; born 21 June 1961), often known mononymously as Jokowi, is an Indonesian politician, engineer, and businessman who served as the seventh president of Indonesia from 2014 to 2024. Previously a member of the Indonesian Democratic ...

in his Working Cabinet. In October 2019, she was re-appointed for a second term as Minister of Foreign Affairs by President Joko Widodo in the

Onward Indonesia Cabinet The Onward Indonesia Cabinet () was sworn in on 23 October 2019 by President Joko Widodo. The president reshuffled this cabinet 13 times. The last reshuffle occurred on 11 September 2024. Lineup Heads of the cabinet Coordinating ministers ...

Covid–19

In 2021, Marsudi was appointed co-chair – alongside Karina Gould and Lia Tadesse – of the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) Engagement Group; the AMC is a financing instrument established to support the participation of 92 lower-middle and low-income economies in the COVAX Facility and ensure their access to

COVID-19 vaccine A COVID19 vaccine is a vaccine intended to provide acquired immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID19). Knowledge about the structure and fun ...

Myanmar

In 2023, Marsudi headed Indonesia's newly established Office of Special Envoy to

Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...

for

ASEAN The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated as ASEAN, is a regional grouping of 10 states in Southeast Asia "that aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its ten members." Together, its member states r ...

, where she pushed for the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) and sought to engage with "all stakeholders" in the ongoing

Myanmar civil war Myanmar has been embroiled in armed conflict since 1948, when the country, then known as Burma, gained independence from the United Kingdom. The conflict has largely been ethnic-based, with ethnic armed organisations fighting Myanmar's arm ...

to enable dialogue and find a solution to the crisis. By the end of her tenure, however, little impact was made to ending the violence in the country.

UN Special Envoy on Water

In 2024,

United Nations Secretary-General The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or UNSECGEN) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the United Nations System#Six principal organs, six principal organs of ...

António Guterres António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres (born 30 April 1949) is a Portuguese politician and diplomat who is serving as the ninth and current secretary-general of the United Nations since 2017. A member of the Socialist Party (Portugal), ...

appointed Marsudi as his Special Envoy on Water.

Personal life

Marsudi is married to Agus Marsudi, an architect, and has had two sons, Dyota (b. 8 February 1989) and Bagas Marsudi (b. 1993). The two of them then often carry out the agenda of climbing

Mount Merapi Mount Merapi (, ) is an active stratovolcano located on the border between the province of Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted regularly since 1548. It is loc ...

together once a year. Dyota is married to Natalia Rialucky Marsudi and has had a son, Manggala Astabrata Marsudi, who was Marsudi's eldest grandson.

Honours

National

* : **

Star of Mahaputera Star of Mahaputera (Indonesian language, Indonesian:''Bintang Mahaputera'') is the second highest honorary award awarded by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, one level below the Star of the Republic of Indonesia. This honorary award was ...

, 2nd Class (11 November 2020)

Foreign honours

* : **

AFG Medal of Malalai Heroine of Maiwand Battle ribbon 218

Medal of Malalai (1 March 2020) * : ** Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Golden Jubilee Medal

Sultan of Brunei Golden Jubilee Medal (6 October 2017) * : ** Order of Orange-Nassau - Knight Grand Cross

Knight Grand Cross of the

Order of Orange-Nassau The Order of Orange-Nassau () is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded on 4 April 1892 by the queen regent, Emma of the Netherlands. The order is a chivalric order open to "everyone who has performed acts of special merits for ...

(12 January 2015) **

Golden Order of Merit of The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (16 September 2024) * : ** Commander with Star of the Royal Norwegian

Order of Merit The Order of Merit () is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII, admission into the order r ...

(15 December 2011) * : ** Grand_Collar_of_the_Order_of_the_State_of_Palestine_ribbon

Star of Merit of the Order of the State of Palestine (19 August 2024) * : ** PER Order of the Sun of Peru - Grand Cross BAR

Grand Cross of the

Order of the Sun of Peru The Order of the Sun of Peru (Spanish: ''Orden El Sol del Perú''), formerly known as the Order of the Sun, is the highest award bestowed by the nation of Peru to commend notable civil and military merit. The award is the oldest civilian award in ...

(24 May 2018)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marsudi, Retno 1962 births Living people Indonesian Muslims Ambassadors of Indonesia to the Netherlands Ambassadors of Indonesia to Iceland Ambassadors of Indonesia to Norway Female foreign ministers Foreign ministers of Indonesia Gadjah Mada University alumni The Hague University of Applied Sciences alumni Indonesian women diplomats Javanese people Onward Indonesia Cabinet People from Semarang Politicians from Central Java Indonesian women ambassadors Women government ministers of Indonesia Working Cabinet (Joko Widodo)