Ref. Ares(2020)3403390 - 29/06/2020
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Subject: EU-Indonesia Trade and investment relations
M BRIEFING
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Meeting : Meeting with Foreign Minister of Indonesia, Retno Marsudi
Origin: DG TRADE
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Date: 29 November 2016
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Place: Brussels, Commissioner's office
Annex
Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi is the first female Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. The
Minister is a career diplomat with no political affiliation and was formerly Ambassador to the
Netherlands. She knows the EU well from her time as the DG for America and Europe in the
Foreign Ministry where she dealt with the 2009 blacklisting of Indonesian air carriers
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Minister Retno is faithfully implementing President Widodo's pragmatic vision of foreign policy
which has become more narrowly aligned with domestic development objectives and economic
interests. President Widodo's administration is focused on law enforcement issues, including
fighting against illegal fishing, human trafficking, countering terrorism and narcotics. Therefore
these issues also figure prominently in Minister Retno's agenda. She has been following the
migration crisis in Europe closely. South East Asia is facing its own boat people crisis, with tens
of thousands of Rohingya having left Myanmar for Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia in
particular. Indonesia is also hosting thousands of migrants who have tried to reach Australia but
were pushed back.
Curriculum Vitae
Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno L.P. Marsudi, was born in 4(1)(b)
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Minister Marsudi is the first female Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. She was sworn in
as member of President Joko Widodo’s Working Cabinet, on 27 October 2014. Prior to her
appointment, she was Ambassador to The Kingdom of The Netherlands (2012 – 2014) and was
formerly Director General for America and Europe (2008 – 2012). Minister Marsudi graduated
in 1985 from Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, majoring in International Relations. Minister
Retno Marsudi is married to Agus Marsudi, an architect graduated from Gadjah Mada
University, Yogyakarta, and TU Delft, the Netherlands. The couple have two sons.
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