Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir

Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir
Fachir in 2018
7th Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia
In office
27 October 2014 – 20 October 2019
PresidentJoko Widodo
MinisterRetno Marsudi
Preceded byDino Patti Djalal
Succeeded byMahendra Siregar
Ambassador of Indonesia to Saudi Arabia
In office
14 February 2014 – 27 October 2014
PresidentSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Preceded byGatot Abdullah Mansyur
Succeeded byAgus Maftuh Abegebriel
Director General of Information and Public Diplomacy
In office
25 October 2011 – 7 March 2014
MinisterMarty Natalegawa
Preceded byAndri Hadi
Succeeded byDian Triansyah Djani (acting)
Esti Andayani
Ambassador of Indonesia to Egypt
In office
6 September 2007 – June 2011
PresidentSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Preceded byBachtiar Aly
Succeeded byNurfaizi Suwandi
Personal details
Born (1957-11-26) 26 November 1957
Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia
SpouseYasmin Sukmawira
Children3 (including Ifa Fachir)
EducationSyarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta (Drs.)
Gadjah Mada University (Dr.)

Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir (born 26 November 1957) is an Indonesian career diplomat who served as the vice foreign minister from 2014 to 2019 during foreign minister Retno Marsudi's first term. Previously, Fachir was the ambassador to Egypt from 2007 to 2011 and director general of information and public diplomacy from 2011 to 2014, with a seven-month stint as ambassador to Saudi Arabia in 2014.

Early life and education

Abdurrahman was born on 26 November 1957 in Banjarmasin. He completed primary and secondary education at his birthplace, before heading for Java to pursue further Islamic education in 1972. He completed middle school at the Ngabar pesantren (Islamic boarding school) and high school at the Gontor modern pesantren in 1975 and 1978.[1] He pursued higher education at the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic Institute Jakarta (now university).[2]

Abdurrahman took part in the Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program (SSEAYP), a student exchange program between ASEAN countries and Japan, on his first year.[3] Abdurrahman later commended the program for providing him confidence to pursue career in diplomacy.[4][5] Unlike his peers who was active in politics, Abdurrahman joined a band and the university's Islamic Students Art Organization (Lembaga Seni Mahasiswa Islam, LSMI), which he chaired from 1981 to 1982.[2] He graduated with a doctorandus in 1983.[6] While serving as ambassador to Egypt, Abdurrahman enrolled on the Middle East doctorate programme at the Gadjah Mada University. He graduated in May 2015 with a thesis on the reciprocal relations between Indonesia and Egypt from 1950 to 2010.[7]

Diplomatic career

Abdurrahman entered diplomatic service as a civil servant in November 1983. By 1985, he became the acting chief of the United Nations Security Council section in the foreign department.[8] Abdurrahman was then sent to the Indonesian embassy in Iraq for his maiden overseas posting, where he was in charge of socio-cultural and information matters with the diplomatic rank of third secretary. Upon learning of his appointment amidst the Iran–Iraq War, Abdurrahman delayed informing his wife, who was in pregnancy, until a month later. As his wife was pregnant at that time, Fachir left his wife and departed for Iraq in August that year, where he temporarily resided at the Novotel in Baghdad.[9]

Several days after his arrival, a ceasefire was declared. Abdurrahman later remarked that he was frequently surprised by the celebratory gunfires in the hotel, which severely disturbed his sleep. After Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, Saddam Hussein instructed the closure of all embassies in the country. The embassy evacuated all Indonesians in Kuwait and later Indonesians in Iraq. As there were four hundred Indonesians, the evacuation required seven back-to-back trips. During the evacuation process, he encountered child soldiers guarding checkpoints all over the border of the two countries. His car also got shot, but he managed to recover. Three months after sending back all of the evacuated Indonesians back to the country, he returned to Baghdad and continued his service. On one occasion, while he went to Jordan for a work visit, his house got searched and all of his family's belongings were ransacked. The assault left his wife injured and left his eldest child, who at that time was in elementary school, traumatized by door knocks.[8][9]

He returned to Indonesia in 1992 and, after a three-year domestic posting at the executive agency of the Non-Aligned Movement,[10] was sent to the permanent mission to the United Nations in New York, where he was in service from 1995 to 1999. During this period he was put in charge of Non-Aligned Movement matters with the diplomatic rank of first secretary. Following his return, he was assigned to the foreign department as deputy director for political and security affairs in the directorate of international organizations. In relation to his position, Abdurrahman became the secretary of the interagency committee for international security and disarmament. Throughout his service in New York and as deputy director, Abdurrahman took part in a number of conferences relating to the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, as well as disarmament-related topics, and was also entrusted to organize seminars and workshops on the issues on a regional and national level. In July 2002, Abdurrahman was seconded to the state secretariat as the chief of manuscript and translation bureau, where he also acted as one of President Megawati Sukarnoputri's translator.[6][8]

Deputy chief of mission in Malaysia

Following a brief stint in New York, in 2004 Abdurrahman became the deputy chief of mission of the embassy in Malaysia, serving under ambassador Rusdihardjo. Shortly after the Malaysian government issued an amnesty on overstays, Fachir appealed to Indonesian illegal migrant workers to return home before the end of the deadline on 31 December 2004.[11] After the deadline passed, Fachir led the embassy's efforts in encouraging illegal migrant workers to come out from their hiding.[12] In 2006, Fachir organized the deportation of around 200 thousand Indonesian illegal immigrants.[13] In February 2007, Fachir became the embassy's charge d'affaires ad interim after Rusdihardjo's term ended. Fachir contributed in setting up a 24-hour hotline for Indonesian migrant workers after reports of several Indonesian maids fleeing from the abuse they suffered from their employer.[14]

Ambassador to Egypt

Abdurrahman's ephemeral tenure as charge d'affaires ad interim ended after he was sworn in as ambassador to Egypt on 6 September 2007. He arrived in Cairo on 30 October 2007 and presented his credentials to president Hosni Mubarak shortly later.[15] As Abdurrahman, Fachir initiated the construction of a dormitory for Indonesian students at Al-Azhar University to bolster graduation rates, which at that time was as low as forty percent. The Al-Azhar president Ahmed el-Tayeb went beyond Abdurrahman's permission for the dormitory being constructed in proximity by allowing it to be established inside the university instead. Abdurrahman later remarked that it took one hour to lobby the Al-Azhar president for the dormitory and a year to convince the Indonesian stakeholders.[16][17] Fachir also spearhead the creation of Simadu, an integrated database of Indonesian students studying in Egypt. At the end of his tenure, the graduation rate had reached a record high of 75%.[8] At his farewell call in June 2011, el-Tayeb quipped that the graduation rate could reach a perfect 100% had if Fachir's term was extended to five years. Bilateral trade volume also doubled a year after he took office.[10][18] Several months before his end of term, Abdurrahman led the evacuation of Indonesians from Egypt to mitigate them from the impact of the 2011 Egyptian revolution.[19]

Director General of Information and Public Diplomacy

Abdurrahman delivering a speech at an internal seminar in 2012.

Four months after his departure, on 25 October 2011 Abdurrahman became the director general of public diplomacy, replacing Andri Hadi who became ambassador to Singapore.[20] At the end of his tenure on 7 March 2014, foreign minister Marty Natalegawa credited him for consolidating and providing a clear roadmap for Indonesia's technical cooperation as well as raising the profile of the Bali Democracy Forum.[21]

Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

In September 2013, Abdurrahman was nominated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as ambassador to Saudi Arabia in Riyadh.[22] After undergoing an assessment by the House of Representative's first commission on 18 September 2013,[23] Fachir was sworn in on 14 February 2014.[24] Shortly before his departure, Abdurrahman, who described himself as a diplomat specializing in rescuing Indonesian citizens, intended to change the perception of Indonesia as a contributor of pilgrims instead of migrants.[8] Upon arriving on 25 March, he received his duties from charge d'affaires ad interim Eddy Basuki a day after, and presented copies of his credentials to foreign minister Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Saud on the last day of the month.[25] He officially began his duties after presenting his credentials to king Abdullah of Saudi Arabia on 29 August 2014. At the credentials presentation, Fachir invited Abdullah for a visit to Indonesia, to which the king replied Inshallah.[26] During his brief tenure, Abdurrahman handled the legal case of Satinah, an Indonesian maid who was facing a death sentence.[19]

Deputy foreign minister

Abdurrahman with Tuvalu foreign minister, Taukelina Finikaso, on his left in 2019.
Abdurrahman with U.S. ambassador Joseph R. Donovan Jr.

Shortly before departing for Makkah to send off the second wave of hajj pilgrims, on 26 October 2014 Abdurrahman was suddenly summoned to the State Palace.[27] Abdurrahman was later surprised to receive his appointment as deputy foreign minister on a short notice, as his name was rarely mentioned by the media for the position. Abdurrahman, who set aside several more prominent diplomats circulated for the position, was sworn in on 27 October.[28][29] A year after the end of his term, on 13 October 2020 president Joko Widodo conferred him the Star of Service, 1st class as a recognition of his service.[30]

Personal life

Fachir was married to Yasmin Sukmawira, whom he met during the SSEAYP exchange program as his senior by two years.[5] The couple, who was married on 7 January 1983, has a daughter and two sons. His eldest son, Ifa Fachir, is the pianist of the Maliq & D'Essentials jazz band.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Wakil Menteri Luar Negeri Dr. H. Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir : Sekali Santri Tetap Santri" [Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. H. Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir: Once a Santri, Always a Santri]. Pondok Pesantren Darul Amanah (in Indonesian). 8 March 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  2. 1 2 Hidayat, Komaruddin (1 January 2017). Dari Pesantren Untuk Dunia (in Indonesian). Prenada Media. p. 211. ISBN 978-602-0895-50-5.
  3. ↑ Muhibar, Akbar (7 December 2016). "Keliling Jepang dan Asean Gratis? Ikut Pertukaran Pemuda Ini" [Travel Around Japan and Asean for Free? Join This Youth Exchange]. Liputan6 (in Indonesian). Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  4. ↑ INDONESIA (PDF) (Report). SSEAYP NEWS. Vol. 42. 2020. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2026. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 "Program Kapal Pemuda Asia Tenggara-Jepang Ke-43 Dimulai" [The 43rd Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program Begins]. Republika (in Indonesian). 13 October 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 Sriyono, A Agus; Djumala, Darmansjah, eds. (2004). Hubungan Internasional: Percikan Pemikiran Diplomat Indonesia [International Relations: Sparks of Thought of Indonesian Diplomats] (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Penerbit PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama. p. 320.
  7. ↑ Satria (5 May 2015). "Wamenlu: Hubungan Indonesia-Mesir Timpang" [Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs: Indonesia-Egypt Relations Are Imbalanced]. Universitas Gadjah Mada. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Perjalanan AM Fachir, dari Santri Jadi Wakil Menteri Luar Negeri" [The Journey of AM Fachir, from Islamic Boarding School Student to Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs]. VIVA.co.id. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  9. 1 2 Khalid, Idham (13 June 2015). "Cerita Wamen Fachir Saat Bertugas Jadi Diplomat di tengah Perang Iran-Irak" [The Story of Vice Minister Fachir While Serving as a Diplomat in the Midst of the Iran-Iraq War]. detikNews. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  10. 1 2 Fazli, Achmad Zulfikar (27 October 2014). "AM Fachir, Santri yang Menjadi Wakil Menteri Luar Negeri" [AM Fachir, the Islamic Boarding School Student Who Became Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs]. Medcom.id. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  11. ↑ "Take advantage of amnesty, advises Indonesian embassy". New Straits Times. 9 December 2004. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  12. ↑ Wijanarko, Tulus; Khairunisssa; Salengke, T.H. (14 February 2005). "TKI: Advice, Not Hunt Down and Arrest". Tempo. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  13. ↑ Djumala (Eds.), A. Agus Sriyono, Bagas Hapsoro, Darmansjah (17 April 2024). 40 Tahun Mengabdi di Dunia Diplomasi (in Indonesian). Gramedia Pustaka Utama. p. 244. ISBN 978-602-06-7681-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ↑ Mahmood, Mazlinda (18 June 2007). "MAID'S 15th FLOOR ESCAPE: Indonesian envoy: Get help from embassy". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 9 October 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  15. ↑ "THE NEW INDONESIAN AMBASSADOR TO CAIRO ARRIVES". Embassy of Indonesia in Cairo. 31 October 2007. Archived from the original on 10 November 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  16. ↑ Hadi, MH Samsul (24 March 2021). "Cerita dari Lapangan Para Diplomat Veteran" [Stories from the Field of Veteran Diplomats]. Kompas. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  17. ↑ Suryanto, ed. (17 June 2009). "Indonesia akan Bangun Asrama Mahasiswa di Mesir" [Indonesia to Build Student Dormitory in Egypt]. ANTARA News. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  18. ↑ Rulistia, Novia D. (9 June 2008). "RI's tire exports to Egypt may grow 15%". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  19. 1 2 Kawilarang, Renne R.A (31 March 2014). "Soal Satinah, Upaya Pemerintah Sudah Luar Biasa" [Regarding Satinah, the Government's Efforts Have Been Extraordinary]. VIVA.co.id. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "MELANTIK ESELON" [Swearing-in of Echelons]. ANTARA Foto (in Indonesian). 26 October 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  21. ↑ "Dubes Fachir: Keberhasilan Perwakilan, Keberhasilan Kita Semua". Consulate General of Indonesia in Melbourne. 7 March 2014. Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  22. ↑ Harahap, Riza (3 September 2013). "DPR terima nama-nama calon duta besar" [DPR receives names of ambassador candidates]. ANTARA News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  23. ↑ "Dino Patti Djalal Ikut Konvensi PD, Pengganti Dubes RI di AS Diuji DPR" [Dino Patti Djalal Joins PD Convention, Replacement for Indonesian Ambassador to the US is Tested by DPR (Parliament)]. detikNews (in Indonesian). 18 September 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  24. ↑ "Delapan Dubes RI yang Baru Juga Dilantik SBY" [Eight New Indonesian Ambassadors Also Inaugurated by SBY]. detikNews (in Indonesian). 14 February 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  25. ↑ "عبدالعزيز بن عبدالله يتسلم أوراق اعتماد سفيري البرازيل وإندونيسيا" [Abdulaziz bin Abdullah receives the credentials of the ambassadors of Brazil and Indonesia]. Okaz. SPA. 1 April 2014. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  26. ↑ "Dubes AM Fachir Sampaikan Salam SBY untuk Raja Saudi" [Ambassador AM Fachir Conveys SBY's Greetings to the Saudi King]. detikNews. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  27. ↑ Gunawan, Hendra, ed. (26 October 2014). "Dapat 'Panggilan Istana', AM Fachir Batal ke Makkah" [Receiving a 'Palace Call', AM Fachir Cancels Trip to Mecca]. Tribunnews.com. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  28. ↑ Rachman, Taufik, ed. (27 October 2014). "AM Fachir Wakil Menteri Luar Negeri" [AM Fachir Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs]. Republika. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  29. ↑ "Jokowi Lantik Mardiasmo Jadi Wakil Menkeu, AM Fachir Jadi Wakil Menlu" [Jokowi Inaugurates Mardiasmo as Vice Minister of Finance, AM Fachir as Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs]. Jakarta Observer. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  30. ↑ Egeham, Lizsa (13 August 2020). "Ini 53 Tokoh Penerima Bintang Tanda Jasa dan Kehormatan dari Jokowi" [These Are the 53 Figures Who Received Service and Honorary Medals from Jokowi]. Liputan6.com. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
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