Jokowi Asks Ambassadors to Focus Priority in Economic Activities

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi to create the key performance indicators (KPI) to review the performance of the ambassadors. The President threatened to remove the ambassadors if Indonesia's exports in the countries where they served not occupy the target.

"KPI is clear and measurable. How to calculate the achievement, anyway? There should be numbers. For instance, how much the increase in exports of Cina, U.S, and African countries," he said while opening a meeting of the Head Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the State Palace, Jakarta, Thursday, January 9, 2020. 

Widodo said the KPI will see the performances of the ambassadors; the good and the bad ones. "Let it be clear which one is the best which one is not, which one should be replaced and which one should not," he said. 

The former of Jakarta Governor ordered the ambassadors to continually seek opportunities and open networking as broader as possible in the country they served. "Get to know the character of the market, map the opportunity, and then inform it to the ministry."

In his speech, the president also asked the ambassadors to focus their priority in the activities related to the economy for about 70-80 percent. He also asked them to conduct other activities related to tourism and diplomacy.

According to Jokowi, these state representatives are agents of investment and export. He said the ambassadors are required to acknowledge the field of investment that should become the priority. The president also ordered them to build relationships with countries that are potentially become the target of Indonesia's nontraditional exports.