VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - The newly appointed Indonesian Ambassador to Romania and Moldova, Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, has said that President Joko Widodo expects him to be able to tap into Indonesia's economic potential in Eastern Europe, especially in the Balkans.

"The president emphasized three or four points regarding our duties in Romania," Suryodiningrat remarked after being inaugurated by President Widodo (Jokowi), along with 11 other ambassadors at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Monday (June 26).

Jokowi highlighted that one of the points is the need to conduct economic diplomacy to increase Indonesia's economic potential abroad, especially in the Balkans and Eastern Europe.

"The second point surely concerns matters related to the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia. Third, the president emphasized the protection of Indonesian citizens abroad," the ambassador remarked.

Meanwhile, the fourth point, addressed to all Indonesian ambassadors, concerns the urgency to focus on the efforts to facilitate, secure, and ensure the smooth implementation of the 2024 general elections.

"Romania itself is a country with enormous potential. In general, Eastern Europe provides a lot of challenges that we can translate into enormous potential if we can make the most of them," he noted.

Suryodiningrat also highlighted the fact that the region is a major wheat producer.

"What is crucial is that we must secure and ensure the supply and export flow of wheat to Indonesia, as the commodity is one of the country's staple raw materials," he affirmed.

Suryodiningrat previously served as the President Director of the state-owned news agency ANTARA since January 22, 2016.

Prior to his term at ANTARA, Suryodiningrat had served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Jakarta Post for six years, as well as a member of the board of directors of PT Bina Media Tenggara, the publisher of the Post.

In addition to pursuing a career in journalism for over 18 years, Suryodiningrat also once worked as an analyst at a strategic consulting firm in Jakarta that dealt with the government and society.

The ambassador received a bachelor's degree in political science and history from Carleton University in Ottawa, a master's degree from Dalhousie University, and served as a fellow researcher at Harvard University. (antaranews)