As Retno likened her speech to a form of public accountability, we can conclude that the public is satisfied with her performance because what she has done has been tangible. There were several flaws, but people could forgive them because they saw progress.

The Bandung press conference will be Retno’s last annual statement as President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and his administration will leave office in October. The fact that President Jokowi trusted Retno as his chief diplomat for two successive terms only proves her prowess.

The President only demonstrated his interest in foreign policy in his second term, albeit with a limited scope centered around ASEAN, and Retno usually acted alone. She apparently knew well what her boss wanted and so far, no complaints have been heard from the President.

During her tenure she outlined four priorities for Indonesian diplomacy.

First is economic diplomacy to push economic growth and enhance people's welfare along with the nation's self-reliance.

Second, the protection of Indonesian citizens overseas. Many Indonesians who live abroad have testified to caring and helpful Indonesian diplomats.

Third, asserting Indonesia’s sovereignty. Over the last nine years, the Foreign Ministry has made significant progress in settling border disputes with neighbors such as Malaysia and Vietnam. Indonesia, however, has yet to settle the long-standing dispute over its sovereign rights over the Natuna Sea, which overlaps with China’s nine-dash line claim.

Fourth, diplomacy for regional and world peace and stability. Indonesia’s persistent defense of Palestine's right for independence has highlighted Indonesia’s diplomacy under Retno. Jakarta has refused any offer to open diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv, including from Washington. However, we should admit that in the world’s largest Muslim nation, the issue of Palestine is a sensitive one.

Senior diplomats were initially skeptical of Retno's ability to captain the country's diplomatic efforts when Jokowi appointed her to the post in 2014. They perceived her more as an excellent bureaucrat than a leader with a far-reaching vision.

Jokowi specifically told Retno, the first woman to hold the position, to capitalize on diplomacy to attract foreign direct investment and boost economic growth. And he demanded concrete results. 

Unlike his predecessor, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who loved to be seen as the global leader of a middle power and who was hands-on in directing the country's foreign policy, Jokowi, a former entrepreneur, has been more focused on the economy.

Therefore, Jokowi could easily make sense of Indonesia’s presidency of the Group of 20 in 2022, which earned him plaudits from the international community for hosting its successful summit. For Retno, the G20 Summit in Bali capped her diplomatic achievements as it took place amid division over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Last-minute negotiations and compromises by Indonesian diplomats saved the event.

Jokowi however could not repeat the G20 success when he assumed ASEAN chairmanship in 2023. Under his leadership, ASEAN remained unable to end the crisis in Myanmar. The military junta has continued to defy the five-point consensus they and ASEAN agreed to.

ASEAN under Indonesia’s chairmanship also achieved minimum progress in persuading China to accelerate the formulation of the non-binding Code of Conduct on the South China Sea. But this is not entirely Indonesia's fault, as China continuously claims the natural resource-rich sea as its territory. 

Amid leaps and bounds, Indonesian diplomacy under Retno has made a difference and she deserves accolades for what she has achieved. We hope to see great things from her as she completes her remaining nine months in office.