Foreign ministry needs better human resources

Foreign ministry needs better human resources

JAKARTA (JP): As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs celebrated
the country's 49th anniversary last week, its members were urged
to enhance the quality of human resources to face future
challenges.

"The foreign ministry continuously tries to improve the
ability and proficiency of its employees through training,
instructional courses and educational programs both at home and
abroad," Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said Friday.

Alatas elaborated on how the changing global setting compels
Indonesia to elevate the quality of its people, including those
entrusted with implementing the country's foreign policy.

Throughout the First Long Term Development Plan (PJPT I), the
foreign ministry has sponsored 62 Master's degree graduates,
eight doctoral degrees and 78 graduates of diplomatic courses
from various universities abroad.

Amid humble beginnings on Aug. 19, 1945, the first Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Ahmad Soebardjo, opened the office on the second
floor of Jl. Cilacap 4, Central Jakarta.

Building a foreign ministry proved to be a particularly
arduous task since it could not emulate former Dutch
administrative procedures or resources already operating in
Jakarta. Being a colony, such tasks were performed directly in
The Hague.

Nevertheless, within five short years the ministry established
itself not only as a primly working department but also expanded
to 28 representative offices abroad.

Refinement

The enrollment of the seven young men at a foreign affairs
training course at the Miniterie van Buitenlandse Zaken, the
Dutch foreign ministry, in the Hague in 1949 marked the beginning
of the refinement of personnel as stressed by Alatas on Friday.

"The key factors to improvement not only lie in intellectual
sophistication and professional skill, but also on the level of
dedication, motivation and mentality," Alatas said.

However the minister was quick to acknowledge that despite his
demands for exceptional dedication and professionalism, the
ministry still needs to fulfill the material wants of its
employees.

"Though still inadequate and not yet equitable, the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, despite all its restrictions, will continue
to improve the welfare of its employees," Alatas pledged.

During the ceremony on Friday, Alatas bestowed Bintang Jasa
Utama medals on Soewarno Danusutedjoas as the ministry's
Secretary General, Wiryono Sastrohandoyo as former Dir. Gen. of
Political Affairs and current ambassador to Paris, Wisber Loeis
as Dir. Gen. of Foreign Economic Relations and Hasyim Djalal as
ambassador to Germany.

Alatas also gave 43 Satyalancana Karya Satya medals to 53
employees who have dedicated 25 years of their services to the
ministry. (mds)