Agung Cahaya Sumirat

Agung Cahaya Sumirat
Ambassador of Indonesia to Cameroon
Incumbent
Assumed office
24 March 2025
Preceded byoffice established
Personal details
Born (1970-06-05) 5 June 1970
Wates, Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
EducationGadjah Mada University
University of Indonesia

Agung Cahaya Sumirat (born 5 July 1970) is an Indonesian diplomat currently serving as the ambassador to Cameroon with concurrent accreditation to the Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of the Congo, and Gabon, since 24 March 2025. Prior to this ambassadorial role, he was the Director of Diplomatic Security at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia from October 2021 to July 2025.

Early life and education

Agung was born on 5 July 1970 in Wates, Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta.[1] Upon completing high school at the 1st Wates State High School in 1989, Sumirat continued his education at the Gadjah Mada University (UGM), majoring in international relations.[2] He received his bachelor's degree in 1997 from the university, with a thesis on ASEAN's response to regionalism in the Asia-Pacific region.[3] He obtained his master's degree on the same subject from the University of Indonesia in 2002 with a thesis on Indonesia's negotiation efforts to counter EU’s initiative regarding human rights on the 58th session of the Commission on Human Rights.[4][5]

Career

Agung's diplomatic career began with an overseas assignment as third secretary for political affairs at Indonesia's permanent mission in Geneva[1] from March 2003 to September 2006.[6][7][8] He returned to Jakarta afterwards and was appointed as section head at the foreign ministry's directorate of economic development and environmental affairs from October 2006 to December 2009.[9] He was then posted as consul for Information, Social and Cultural Affairs at Indonesia's consulate general in Vancouver from January 2010 to December 2013.[1] In this role, he focused on promoting Indonesian cultures and fostering closer connections between Indonesia and western Canada, highlighting Indonesian activism at various festivals and collaborating with universities on academic discussions, educational cooperation, cultural events, environmental collaboration, and interfaith dialogue.[9] From January 2014 to February 2017, Sumirat served as deputy director (chief of subdirectorate) for Asian-European meeting in the directorate for American and European relations. In his role, he managed Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) matters, supporting his director in facilitating contacts, communication, and coordination among ASEM stakeholders.[9]

Agung then moved to the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur where he served as minister-counsellor responsible for information, cultural, and social affairs, from February 2017 to August 2020. He focused on promoting enhanced social and cultural relations between Indonesia and Malaysia.[9] During this period, Agung also served as the acting headmaster of the Indonesian School in Kuala Lumpur[10] and chaired the foreign election committee in the country during the 2019 general election.[11] He was then promoted to deputy ambassador in September 2020. During his tenure in the Kuala Lumpur embassy, Agung oversaw the improvement of the online service system, which became crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the enhanced cooperation between the embassy and Indonesian community organizations through the Alliance of Indonesian Community Organizations (AOMI) to distribute aid and repatriating vulnerable citizens during the pandemic. The embassy's improved capacity to respond to inquiries via social media and hotlines earned them the Hassan Wirajuda Award for social media.[1] Agung served for less than a year as deputy ambassador, as on 18 August 2021 Agung was installed as the director of diplomatic security in the foreign ministry. He was responsible for ensuring the safety of Indonesian diplomatic missions abroad, foreign missions in Indonesia, and coordinating inter-agency teams for foreign NGO operations in Indonesia.[12]

In August 2024, President Joko Widodo nominated Agung as Indonesia's ambassador to Cameroon, with concurrent accreditation to the Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of the Congo, and Gabon.[13] He passed a fit and proper test held by the House of Representative's first commission in September that year.[14] He was installed by President Prabowo Subianto on 24 March 2025.[15] He became the first ambassador since an embassy was established in 2020.[16][17]

Shortly after his installation, he and five other new ambassadors from UGM met with UGM rector Ova Emilia[18] and Yogyakarta governor Hamengkubuwono X.[19] He arrived in Cameroon on 1 July and presented copies of his credentials to Delegate to the Minister of External Relations in charge of Relations with the Commonwealth Government Félix Mbayu the day after.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Berhan; Steven (September 2021). "Profil Wakil Kepala Perwakilan" (PDF). Caraka. pp. 1, 4.
  2. ^ fisipol (25 March 2025). "Empat Alumni Fisipol UGM Dilantik sebagai Duta Besar RI" [Four FISIPOL UGM Alumni Appointed as Ambassadors of the Republic of Indonesia]. Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik Universitas Gadjah Mada (in Indonesian). Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  3. ^ SUMIRAT, Agung Cahaya (1997-12-31). ASEAN Mengahadapi Tantangan Regionalisme Asia Pasifik Tahun 1990-an (Thesis thesis) (in Indonesian). Fisipol UGM Jurusan Ilmu Hubungan International.
  4. ^ Sumirat, Agung Cahaya (2002). "Strategi negosiasi Indonesia menghadapi Uni Eropa (UE) dalam merumuskan chairperson's statement mengenai situasi HAM Timor Timur dalam Sidang Komisi HAM (KHAM) PBB Ke-58 tahun 2002". Universitas Indonesia Library. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
  5. ^ "Agung Cahaya Sumirat". Australia–Indonesia Centre. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  6. ^ Record of Proceedings: Plenary Sitting, Committee Reports, Authentic Texts, Resolutions, Index of Speakers, Delegations. International Labour Office. 2006. p. 44. ISBN 978-92-2-116618-4.
  7. ^ Official Records. UN. 2007. p. 82.
  8. ^ Actas (in Spanish). International Labour Organization. 2006. p. 16. ISBN 978-92-2-320268-2.
  9. ^ a b c d e Amabo, Eulalia (3 July 2025). "Cameroon-Indonesia : New Ambassador To Boost Ties". Cameroon Tribune (in French). Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  10. ^ Setiawan, Agus (29 December 2018). "Dosen Unej Atdikbud baru KBRI Kuala lumpur" [Unej Lecturer Appointed New Education and Culture Attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur]. ANTARA News (in Indonesian).
  11. ^ Setiawan, Agus (16 April 2019). "PPLN Kuala Lumpur fokus pada perhitungan suara" [PPLN Kuala Lumpur focuses on vote counting]. ANTARA News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  12. ^ Wiyono, Bambang (18 August 2021). "Retno Lantik 23 Pejabat Tinggi Kemlu, Gede Ngurah Swajaya Jadi Dirjen Amerika dan Eropa" [Retno Inaugurates 23 Senior Foreign Ministry Officials, Gede Ngurah Swajaya Appointed Director General for Americas and Europe]. Tribun Bali (in Indonesian). Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  13. ^ Luqman, Kiki (19 August 2024). "Beredar Nama-Nama Calon Duta Besar, Ada Wishnutama yang Diajukan jadi Dubes RI untuk Amerika Serikat" [List of Ambassador Candidates Circulates, Wishnutama Proposed as Indonesian Ambassador to the United States]. Kompas TV (in Indonesian). Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  14. ^ Anggrainy, Firda Cynthia (17 September 2024). "Ini Daftar Calon Dubes LBBP Ikut Uji Kelayakan di DPR, Ada Junimart Girsang" [Here is the List of Prospective Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors Undergoing Feasibility Test at DPR, Including Junimart Girsang]. detikNews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  15. ^ "President Prabowo Appoints 31 New Indonesian Ambassadors". Jakarta Globe. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
  16. ^ Yazid, Patrick (24 March 2025). "Cameroun-Indonésie :le tout premier ambassadeur Indonésien nommé au Cameroun" [Cameroon–Indonesia: The very first Indonesian ambassador appointed to Cameroon]. Info Actualité Divine (in French).
  17. ^ Hakim, Rakhmat Nur; Meiliana, Diamanty (22 June 2020). "Indonesia Resmi Buka Kedutaan Besar di Kamerun" [Indonesia Officially Opens Embassy in Cameroon]. Kompas.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  18. ^ Evani, Fuska Sani (7 May 2025). "Rektor UGM Terima Kunjungan 6 Duta Besar RI" [UGM Rector Receives Visit from 6 Indonesian Ambassadors]. VIVA Jogja (in Indonesian). Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  19. ^ Yanuar, H; Ridlo, Muhamad (6 May 2025). "Harapan Gubernur DIY ke 6 Duta Besar Lulusan UGM" [Hopes of Yogyakarta Governor for 6 Ambassadors Graduated from UGM]. Liputan6.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 16 July 2025.
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