Foreign Minister: Indonesia Strengthens Multilateralism, Expands Strategic Space

Foreign Minister Sugiono has asserted that Indonesia will continue to strengthen multilateralism so that it remains capable of functioning amidst an increasingly fragmented and uncertain world. The message was delivered by Foreign Minister Sugiono in a keynote speech at the 10th Jakarta Geopolitical Forum (JGF) organised by the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) of the Republic of Indonesia. “Free and active does not mean passive or neutral. Indonesia will not be dragged into exclusive blocs, but will continue to build bridges and expand its strategic space,” the Foreign Minister said, as quoted from a press statement received in Jakarta on Thursday. The Foreign Minister emphasised that the free and active foreign policy is not only still relevant, but is increasingly needed in facing the current dynamics of global geopolitics. In a world that is increasingly fragmented and marked by strategic rivalry, Sugiono explained, free and active provides space for Indonesia to determine its stance independently, while remaining actively contributing to world peace, stability, and order. The Foreign Minister also underlined that the current weaknesses of the multilateral system should not be a reason to abandon multilateralism. Instead, the system must be improved to be more representative, inclusive, adaptive, and effective. “The global governance built in 1945 needs to be continuously updated to remain relevant in facing the realities of the world in 2045,” the Foreign Minister said. In this context, Indonesia will maintain and improve the multilateralism system by continuing to push for global governance reform, including a more transparent, democratic, effective, and accountable UN Security Council, said Sugiono. Indonesia, he continued, will also continue to voice these interests through various forums. “Participation in BRICS, an active role in the G20, leadership in ASEAN, involvement in the D-8 and with the Global South, as well as the accession process towards the OECD, are all part of the same principle, namely expanding the strategic space of Indonesian diplomacy,” he said. The Foreign Minister also stressed that effective diplomacy must be supported by strong national resilience. “Food security is strategic autonomy. Energy security is national security. Human resources are geopolitical capacity. And technology is not just innovation, but also power,” asserted Foreign Minister Sugiono. The JGF is an annual forum organised by Lemhannas RI to discuss various global geopolitical issues. The forum brings together participants from government, military, academia, think tanks, international organisations, the private sector, and the media.