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Prabowo’s succession plan looms large as top diplomat readies exit
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Defense Minister and president-elect Prabowo Subianto (second left) talks with Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi (second right) on Sept. 13, 2024, ahead of a cabinet meeting at Garuda Palace in Nusantara, North Penajam Paser regency, East Kalimantan. (Antara/M Risyal Hidayat)
T
he race to become Indonesia’s next foreign policy chief has intensified after Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi announced that she would be taking on a new job outside of government once her term ends next month.
And with president-elect Prabowo Subianto’s side indicating more political consolidation ahead of the transfer of power on Oct. 20, it appears increasingly likely that that the position will go to the first political appointee in over 20 years.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Retno his new special envoy on water, the UN announced in a statement on Friday. The position was created last year at the UN Water Conference in New York, the first major international water forum in almost 50 years.
As envoy, she is expected to push for stronger global cooperation on issues related to water and sanitation, as well as to mobilize action and financial resources to address the global water crisis.
The new role starts on Nov. 1, less than two weeks after President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo passes the torch to his successor, Prabowo.
In a prerecorded video statement on Friday, Retno said it was an honor to be the first person to hold the position of special envoy on water, as well as the first Indonesian to become special envoy to the UN chief.
