Indonesia's Foreign Ministry Delays D-8 Summit in Jakarta Due to Middle East Conflict
Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry (Kemlu) has announced that the Developing Eight (D-8) Summit of Heads of State/Government, originally scheduled to be held in Indonesia this year, has been postponed. The postponement is a result of the ongoing Middle East conflict showing no signs of resolution.
“We are all aware of developments since 28 February, and we have been observing, monitoring, and examining closely the situation unfolding. Unfortunately, to this day, there are no visible signs of de-escalation,” said Tri Tharyat, Director General of Multilateral Cooperation at the Foreign Ministry, during a press briefing at the Ministry’s headquarters in Central Jakarta on Friday, 13 March 2026.
“Last night, the Foreign Minister signed letters to our partner nations informing them of the postponement of the D-8 Summit and all related activities,” he added.
Tharyat stated that a new date has not yet been determined. He confirmed that all member states have received notification of the postponement.
“All member states have been informed of this decision, and it is indeed the best course of action we must take. As for setting a new date, we will discuss this in greater detail when the time is appropriate,” he said.
According to Tharyat, the postponement does not affect Indonesia’s designation as D-8 Chair. The formal transfer of the chairmanship typically occurs during the summit.
“Whilst Indonesia’s official chairmanship will only be formally transferred at the summit, given the current circumstances, the D-8 member states consider Indonesia to be the current chair, though formal handover from Egypt has not yet taken place,” he explained.
He added that the postponement will not diminish Indonesia’s preparation for its D-8 chairmanship. The government’s plans to assume the role remain unchanged.
“Various activities we have planned not only for 2026 but also for 2027 until the conclusion of our chairmanship on 31 December are largely ready for implementation, with others still being refined. So the postponement does not alter our planned activities,” he concluded.