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n Oct. 19, 2011, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reshuffled his Cabinet and appointed a few new ministers. He also appointed 13 deputy ministers.

As affirmed by the President in his announcement speech on Oct. 18, 2011, the purpose of the decision was to enhance the performance and effectiveness of the Cabinet. This was required in the face of increasing challenges and complexities.

One effect that this institutional measure carries with it is the expansion of governmental stakeholders within the Indonesian foreign policy establishment.

More actors at the policy-making level emerge with the appointment of considerable number of deputy ministers.

In such a situation, there is hope that the establishment will be in a better position to contribute more to Indonesian foreign policy.

In the establishment itself, there are different clusters of actors with different levels of responsibility and authority. This plurality of foreign policy stakeholders is a welcome step in accordance with the Law on Foreign Relations.

Despite this diversity of actors, the Foreign Affairs Ministry should remain the primary institution that holds responsibility and authority in the formulation, the making and the implementation of Indonesia’s foreign policy.

In the current context of complex challenges and interdependence, the international dimension of issues that matter to the strategic interests of Indonesia has permeated almost all existing ministries and other governmental agencies.

The nexus in those respective governmental institutions generally lies in a unit that is responsible for international cooperation, but in some ministries the nexus can go beyond such a unit.

Within the Trade Ministry and the Finance Ministry, for example, more units exist that are specifically tasked with tackling foreign affairs-related issues such as ASEAN, APEC, OIC, WEF, G20, FTA, bilateral cooperation and many others.

That is why, with the appointment of an additional finance deputy minister, President Yudhoyono has ordered the ministry to promote global coordination on financial matters, for example in the G20, APEC and ASEAN forums.

And with the appointment of the new deputy trade minister, the President tasked the Trade Ministry to expand Indonesia’s global markets. In this circumstance, coordination among stakeholders within the foreign policy establishment is of paramount importance.

Coordination has always been a challenge when it comes to generating coherence in policy formulation and policy making, but through coordination, stakeholders can have a better chance of accomplishing coherent results in the reception, interpretation and actualization of the President’s directives.

The role of Coordinating Ministries in streamlining and overcoming neglect in bureaucracy, as well as facilitating and catalyzing synergy within the establishment, is pivotal.

The Presidential Working Unit for Supervision and Management of Development (UKP4) can also be part of the establishment to support such roles.

Another of the President’s important directives involves Indonesian overseas workers. The responsibility for proper handling of this issue is in the hands of more than one ministry or government agency.

As outlined by the President in his policy speech after swearing in the new ministers and deputy ministers on Oct. 19, 2011, the foreign policy establishment that tackles overseas workers will include not only relevant ministries and government-related agencies at the national level but also governors, mayors and recruitment agencies.

Thus, coordination in terms of policy making and policy implementation with regards to overseas workers involves stakeholders that extend from the downstream to the upstream segments of the process.

The Indonesian foreign policy establishment with the new configuration of stakeholders also needs to be open and develop outreach to other communities.

In the case of antiterrorism efforts, for example, coordination between the establishment and the intelligence community could enhance Indonesia’s ability to respond to the terrorist threats.

There could be an overlap of stakeholders between the establishment and the intelligence community, but this should not prevent the actualization of shared responsibility between the two entities.

Outreach can also be developed with the House of Representatives, civil society organizations, the private sector, the media, grassroots leaders and even the general public.

This step will encourage participatory discussion on an issue of national concern that may affect the wider spectrum of Indonesian society.

Through this mechanism, people in general will feel that they have been given the opportunity to be engaged in the policy-making process.

As the aforementioned segments of society have often been looking at things through the prism of emotion, outreach that carries with it an educational message becomes critical.

This is particularly true in such situations when they react to the incidents that relate to border issue and overseas workers and also to the sentiment against the presence of intrusion of national sovereignty.

Through the outreach, there will be a greater chance for them to receive better and more accurate information as well as better and more proportional explanations and thus develop more pragmatic and rational approaches and attitudes on the issues and the way the government handles those issues.

On the appointment of the foreign deputy minister, President Yudhoyono made clear directives that related to the so-called “Kemlu proper”: First, to increase the profile of Indonesian foreign policy, and second, to advance Indonesia’s diplomacy in accordance with the Constitution.

There is no doubt that Indonesia’s foreign policy profile is already highly regarded. The country has played a pivotal role in ASEAN, East Asia and the G20.

As Indonesia is doing well in foreign affairs, there remains room for enhancing the country’s foreign policy profile and diplomacy. In the age of Facebook and Twitter, new avenues of independent and active foreign policy can be explored.

One final point, when viability of collaboration and coordination between stakeholders within the foreign policy establishment and between the establishment and other communities is high, Indonesia will have a stronger foundation not only for maintaining its well-regarded international reputation but also for building an Indonesian brand that would last for generations.

The writer is an assistant to special aide to the President for international relations. The opinions are his own.