F

ostering renewed partnerships and working to bridge differences in opinion between developing and developed countries can strengthen crucial multilateral institutions and systems. With this understanding, the foreign ministers of Mexico, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Turkey and Australia established MIKTA as a platform for innovative diplomacy at a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, September 2013.

Although differing in many ways, the MIKTA countries share some important characteristics: all are growing and resilient open economies with strong, open domestic markets that have a keen interest in an international system that works for the benefit of all. Together, they represent a significant portion of the world’s population and economy, with a combined population of approximately 530 million people and a collective gross domestic products (GDP) of approximately US$5.8 trillion per year, which would place them as the third largest economy in the world. Individually, the member countries are the 11th, 13th, 15th, 16th and 17th largest economies in the world.

Crucially, the MIKTA countries are like-minded on many global issues and affairs. All are G20 members and they are keen to advance the common interests of the international community. They are also active members of international and regional organizations.

Turkey assumed the MIKTA chair on Jan. 1, 2017, following Australia’s successful year in the role, and is fully engaged in taking the group forward. Indonesia will chair the group in 2018.

Three aspects of MIKTA set it apart from traditional diplomatic initiatives. First, MIKTA is a consultative platform that pursues interests that are common to all members. Second, it is not a superpower-driven partnership. As a flexible initiative, the five members are co-architects that can freely set the agenda in an agile and effective manner.

Third, MIKTA draws upon both the common ground and the diversity of its member states that hail from different cultures, regions and networks. This enables MIKTA to play the role of bridge-builder and agenda-setter.

Working together, our consultative forum can play a constructive, international role. MIKTA’s partners can draw on our diverse perspectives to develop and promote a better understanding of how different countries view major global challenges. In this way, our diversity will enable us to establish a consensus to advance the common interests of the international community.

MIKTA’s efforts to further strengthen our ties among each other — through an exchange of diplomats, academics, speakers of parliaments, experts and entrepreneurs — underpin the group’s multilateral engagement and shared spirit of cooperation.

The MIKTA platform is an additional mechanism for consultation and cooperation to enhance these relationships. Together, we will develop our agenda further so that MIKTA can reach its full potential as a force of good global governance and in upholding a global order based on law.
______________________

M.K. Şander Gürbüz, Turkish Ambassador to Indonesia
Federico Salas Lotfe, Mexican Ambassador to Indonesia
Cho Taiyoung, South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia
Paul Grigson, Australian Ambassador to Indonesia
Salman Al Farisi, acting Director General of Multilateral Affairs at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry