Indonesia to Host 3rd ISC, Phnom Penh Declaration Backs DPD

Indonesia, through the Regional Representative Council (DPD RI), has been officially designated as the host of the 3rd Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC). The decision was taken by acclamation at the meeting of parliamentary leaders of ISC participant countries in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The designation of Indonesia as host of the 3rd ISC was first discussed at the meeting of parliamentary leaders of participating countries. After all participants unanimously agreed on Indonesia, the decision was officially announced by the President of the Cambodian Senate and former Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Sen, at the 2nd ISC forum.

DPD RI Chairman Sultan Baktiar Najamudin assessed that Indonesia’s designation as host of the 3rd ISC is a form of trust from the world’s parliaments as well as an achievement of Indonesian parliamentary diplomacy. He considered the appointment an honour as well as an opportunity for Indonesia to take a greater role in building dialogue and cooperation among world parliaments.

“The trust to make Indonesia the host of the 3rd ISC is certainly an honour as well as a responsibility. This shows that Indonesia has a position and trust within the world parliamentary community to take part in strengthening peace, compliance with international law, welfare, and sustainability,” Sultan said in his statement on Saturday (29/8/2026).

Furthermore, Sultan said that the 3rd ISC in Indonesia will not only be a parliamentary diplomacy forum, but also a space to bring together various country perspectives in finding common ground on increasingly complex global issues.

“The world today needs more space for dialogue and cooperation. Parliament has an important role in ensuring that the aspirations of the people, the interests of peace, justice, and sustainability can be part of the common agenda. Indonesia is ready to be a home for that dialogue,” he said.

For the DPD RI, Sultan continued, the appointment as host also has its own meaning. As a regional representation institution, the DPD RI wants to bring regional perspectives and Indonesia’s diversity as part of the global conversation.

Sultan emphasised that the world’s challenges do not only occur at the national level, but are also directly felt by communities in the regions, from climate change, development inequality, to issues of welfare and environmental sustainability.

“Indonesia is a large, diverse country with long experience in nurturing unity amidst differences. That experience is an important asset for presenting a forum that opens space for dialogue, mutual understanding, and building cooperation,” he stressed.

Sultan explained that the ISC is a forum that brings together parliamentary leaders from various countries to build dialogue on strategic world issues, including peace, compliance with international law, welfare, the environment, and sustainable development.

For Indonesia, hosting the 3rd ISC opens space to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy while bringing the perspective of an archipelagic nation and regional interests into the global conversation.

Sultan added that Indonesia has important assets to carry out this role. As an archipelagic country with vast diversity of regions, communities, cultures, and resource potential, Indonesia is experienced in managing differences while maintaining unity.

According to him, that experience can be Indonesia’s contribution to strengthening the spirit of dialogue and collaboration amidst increasing global challenges. He assessed that inter-parliamentary cooperation is increasingly important because various world issues require policy support and joint commitment involving community representation.

“We need more space for dialogue and cooperation. Parliament has an important role because it carries the mandate of the people. Indonesia wants to take part in building that collaborative spirit and make the 3rd ISC a forum that produces useful ideas and cooperation,” he said.

For the DPD RI, he continued, the trust to host also opens wider opportunities to introduce regional potential and interests to the international community. According to Sultan, the forum can be a space for exchanging ideas and experiences, as well as expanding cooperation networks that can ultimately provide benefits for Indonesia’s development down to the regions.

The ISC was first declared through the 1st ISC in Seoul, South Korea, in 2025. The forum was attended by parliamentary leaders from 45 countries. Ban Ki-moon, a South Korean diplomat and politician who served as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2016, also attended as a keynote speaker at the forum. The forum was then continued through the 2nd ISC in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, which was attended by parliamentary leaders from 31 countries.

With Indonesia’s unanimous designation as host of the 3rd ISC, the DPD RI will play a role in preparing the forum as a dialogue space for world parliamentary leaders. Through this event, the DPD RI will also bring the spirit of collaboration, peace, and the interests of the people and regions of Indonesia to the international stage.

Sultan revealed that in the near future, he will report the results of Indonesia’s designation as host of the 3rd ISC in 2027 to the President of the Republic of Indonesia. He will also convey the results to the Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR RI) and the Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) as fellow leaders of parliamentary institutions in Indonesia.

He emphasised that Indonesia’s appointment as host of the 3rd ISC is not only a trust in the DPD RI, but also a form of trust in the Indonesian parliament as a whole. That trust, according to him, must be utilised to further strengthen the position and role of the Indonesian parliament in the international arena.

“Indonesia’s appointment also builds and strengthens sensitivity,” he said.