A ministry restored
With a seasoned diplomat back at the helm, Prabowo has restored the Foreign Ministry from a cleanup crew into an engine room.
President Prabowo Subianto has restored the Foreign Ministry by appointing Arrmanatha "Tata" Nasir as its new leader. Tata, a seasoned diplomat with extensive experience at the WTO, UNESCO, and the United Nations, brings a wealth of expertise to the role.
Tata's return to the Foreign Ministry marks a significant change from the previous tenure, which lasted 23 months. During that time, the ministry operated like a "cleanup crew" rather than an "engine room," as one analyst put it. This resulted in foreign policy analysts flagging a familiar pattern of presidential unilateral commitments that forced the ministry into damage control afterward.
One such instance was Indonesia's involvement in joint maritime development in the South China Sea, Gaza evacuations, and military hardware commitments. These unilateral commitments strained Indonesia's standing in international capitals that were not consulted.
Tata's extensive background and deep institutional knowledge at the Foreign Ministry are crucial in restoring the ministry's credibility and effectiveness. His appointment signals a shift away from a political appointee to a diplomat who has spent 27 years at the ministry, with postings in key international organizations.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
