From Takengon to Global Diplomacy: Sugiono’s Journey to Becoming Foreign Minister

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Sugiono emerged as one of the new faces in Indonesian diplomacy when President Prabowo Subianto appointed him as Foreign Minister in 2024. His background differs from many of his predecessors. Before taking charge of Indonesia’s foreign policy, Sugiono had served as an Indonesian Army officer, a politician with the Gerindra Party, and Deputy Chairman of Commission I of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), which oversees foreign affairs, defense, and communications.

Sugiono was born in Takengon, Central Aceh, on February 11, 1979. He grew up in the Gayo highlands before continuing his education in several places that would later shape his career. After completing elementary and junior high school in Aceh, he was admitted to Taruna Nusantara High School in Magelang, Central Java, in 1994.

At the school, which is known for educating future leaders, Sugiono was active in student organizations. He graduated in 1997 as a member of the fifth graduating class of Taruna Nusantara High School. One of his classmates was Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono.

Sugiono’s ambition to become a soldier led him to pursue military education. However, an opportunity changed the course of his education. At the time, Prabowo Subianto, who was serving as Commander of the Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus), offered scholarships to several Taruna Nusantara alumni to continue their studies at a military college in the United States.

He took the opportunity. He was admitted to Norwich University in the United States, which is known as the country’s oldest private military college. There, he studied Computer Engineering and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 2001.

After completing his studies, Sugiono worked in the United States for a period of time. However, he chose to return to Indonesia to pursue his ambition of becoming a soldier. He enrolled in the Career Officer School at the Indonesian Military Academy in Magelang.

In 2002, Sugiono was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Indonesian Army, serving in the Infantry Corps. His overseas education and military background would later become important parts of his career.

From Soldier to Politics

Sugiono’s career later took a turn from the military to politics. He joined the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and became one of the party’s early cadres in 2008.

His political career developed rapidly within Gerindra. Sugiono served as Deputy Chairman of Gerindra’s Central Executive Board, overseeing cadre development and strategic information, and was also a member of the party’s Board of Trustees from 2014 to 2020. In the 2019 election, he was appointed Campaign Director of the National Campaign Team for the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno presidential ticket.

His career then moved into parliament. In the 2019 legislative election, Sugiono was elected as a member of the DPR RI representing Central Java’s First Electoral District, which includes Semarang City, Semarang Regency, Kendal Regency, and Salatiga City.

In parliament, he was assigned to Commission I, which oversees defense, foreign affairs, and communications and informatics. He was later appointed Deputy Chairman of Commission I for the 2019-2024 period.

The position became an important stepping stone before he entered the government. As a legislator responsible for foreign affairs, Sugiono dealt with various strategic issues involving Indonesia’s relations with other countries, defense matters, and developments in international geopolitics.

In the 2024 election, Sugiono was once again elected to the DPR RI from the same electoral district. However, his second parliamentary term did not last long. President Prabowo subsequently appointed him as Foreign Minister in the new administration, which began its term in October 2024.

A Foreign Minister with a Military Background

Sugiono’s appointment as Foreign Minister marked a significant moment in Indonesia’s diplomatic history. He became the first Foreign Minister from a political party since Alwi Shihab, who served from 1999 to 2001. He is also the first Indonesian Foreign Minister with a military background.

This journey has given Sugiono a profile that differs from the typical career diplomat. He did not rise through the ranks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Instead, his career was shaped by military education, politics, parliament, and experience handling strategic issues.

That background has also become an asset as he enters the world of diplomacy. His experience as a soldier gave him a perspective on defense and security, while his time on Commission I exposed him directly to international relations issues before he became Foreign Minister.

From Takengon to the World

Sugiono’s journey from Takengon to Magelang, then to the United States, back to the Military Academy, and eventually to parliament and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reflects a long and unconventional career path. He did not begin his career as a diplomat. However, his educational and professional experiences gradually brought him closer to the strategic issues that form an important part of a foreign minister’s responsibilities.

Today, Sugiono holds a position that requires him to understand global changes while translating them into Indonesia’s national interests. Diplomacy is no longer limited to relations between countries. It also encompasses defense, economics, technology, education, and geopolitical competition. With a background as a soldier, politician, legislator, and now Indonesia’s chief diplomat, Sugiono’s journey represents an interesting chapter in the changing face of Indonesian diplomacy.