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Navigating MIKTA group to cross-regionalism
There are some reasons why MIKTA is pertinent to Indonesia as well as to present international relations.
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Indonesian peacekeepers with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) prepare to leave their base for a patrol near Al-Taybe, South Lebanon, 28 August 2009. In 2006, UNIFIL expanded its deployment to Southern Lebanon, a high-tension area near the Lebanon-Israel border (also known as the Blue Line), when the two countries resumed hostilities. (UN Photo/Pasqual Gorriz)
T
he year 2018 will be yet another crucial period for Indonesia, especially in its relations with other countries as well as regional and international entities. One agenda this year is Indonesia’s coordinatorship of Mexico, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Turkey and Australia (MIKTA).
Since its establishment in New York in September 2013 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, MIKTA has gradually gained importance not only within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and G-20, but also within the bilateral context of its respective member countries.
There are some reasons why MIKTA is pertinent to Indonesia as well as to present international relations.
First, while relations and cooperation among nations have been shaped primarily by bilateralism, regionalism and inter-regionalism, as well as multilateralism, the founding of MIKTA has injected cross-regionalism as an innovative format of multi-state cooperation. MIKTA connects five countries from different regions, and thus with different regional backgrounds, traditions and experiences. In Indonesia’s view, this cross-regionalism carries new windows of opportunity for advancing collaboration toward shared progress and prosperity.
Second, while MIKTA focuses on facilitating pragmatic and creative solutions to regional and global challenges, it has strategic directions and guiding principles as reflected in the 2015 MIKTA Vision Statement. Those activities cover a wide range of government and non-government interests, including girls’ soccer.
Furthermore, each member state is passionate about making MIKTA collaborative programs as vibrant as possible. Members also share values of innovative partnerships, consultation, democracy, international norms, and becoming an agenda setter, bridge builder and catalyst in relations among states.
Third, MIKTA guidelines enable the platform to work in a more systematic and structured manner while maintaining its flexibility and issue-driven nature. In such a way, the platform will always have room for innovation and adaptation while focusing on its seven priorities — international energy governance and the promotion of energy access; counter-terrorism and security; peacekeeping; trade and the economy; gender equality; good governance, human rights and democracy and sustainable development.
