Enviro News Asia, Washington, D.C. — The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Washington, D.C. reaffirmed its commitment to improving public service diplomacy for Indonesian citizens abroad through a program titled “Strengthening Diaspora Empowerment and Enhancing Services for Indonesian Communities Overseas”, held on Friday (October 17) at the Embassy’s President Room.
The event brought together over 50 participants representing students, professionals, and members of the Indonesian diaspora communities across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area.
It served as a platform to exchange ideas, gather aspirations, and share updates on immigration services, citizenship policies, and the government’s ongoing efforts to empower the Indonesian diaspora in contributing to national development.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the United States, H.E. Prof. Dwiyono Indroyono Soesilo, emphasized:
“We continuously ensure that the state’s role in serving and protecting Indonesians abroad is present, tangible, and improving. The Embassy of Indonesia in Washington, D.C. stands as a shared home—a place to lean on, to dialogue, and to find solutions together.”
The program also featured representatives from the Coordinating Ministry for Politicaland Security Affairs; Ministry of Immigration and Corrections; Ministry of Human Rights; State Secretariat; and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as speakers, who presented policy updates and key initiatives.
The presentations highlighted three major themes:
1. Immigration services and document management for Indonesians abroad, including passport and SPLP issuance;
2. Ongoing deliberation on the amendment of Indonesia’s Citizenship Law, aimed at strengthening diaspora protection and rights;
3. The growing role of the Indonesian diaspora in supporting national development, in line with the President’s Asta Cita vision.
An interactive discussion followed, with participants expressing strong enthusiasm and appreciation. The session addressed issues such as the importance of WNI self-reporting (lapor diri), renewal of travel documents, and the future improvement of the Indonesian Overseas Community Card (KMILN).
The proposed Citizenship Bill, expected to be finalized in 2026, was also a key topic of interest for participants seeking stronger legal recognition of diaspora contributions.
This event forms part of the Embassy’s broader outreach and engagement efforts to ensure that the voices of Indonesians and diaspora communities abroad are heard and reflected in national policymaking.
For reference, according to data from the Peduli WNI Portal, there are 2,334 Indonesian nationals residing in the DMV area (District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia), consisting mostly of students, professionals, workers, and members of the Indonesian diaspora. (*)
