4+1, Priority of Indonesian Foreign Policy for 2019-2024

Jakarta, MINA – Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi explained the priorities of foreign policy for 2019-2024. There are four main priorities and one additional or called priority four plus one (4 +1).

The four main priorities consist of strengthening economic diplomacy, diplomacy protecting Indonesian citizens, sovereignty and nationality diplomacy, increasing Indonesia’s contribution and leadership in the region and world, and one additional priority is strong diplomacy infrastructure.

The priorities according to Retno are in accordance with the mandate of the constitution, vision, and mission of President and Vice President and the continuation of Indonesia’s foreign policy five years ago.

“The priority of foreign policy in the next five years is the continuity of the implementation of foreign policy in the past five years and sharpening in several parts. Strengthening is done among others on the implementation of economic diplomacy, “said Retno in the Media Briefing at Pancasila Building, Jakarta on Tuesday, October 29.

In strengthening economic diplomacy, said Retno, there were a number of strategic steps that would be taken to strengthen Indonesia’s economic diplomacy, one of which was the capitalization of strengthening domestic market.

In this step, she explained Indonesia must protect the domestic market from products that enter illegally and dumpling products.

In addition, Indonesia would also strengthen traditional markets and made a breakthrough to penetrate non-traditional markets, such as South and Central Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Pacific Region.

In the second priority, namely diplomacy for the protection of Indonesian citizens, Retno stressed the state will continue to be present to protect its citizens abroad.

Furthermore, the priority of diplomacy is sovereignty and nationality, the government must be able to work to maintain the integrity of Unitary Republic of Indonesia. The settlement of national borders will be intensified through negotiations and diplomatic sovereignty will continue to be strengthened.

For the fourth priority, increasing Indonesia’s contribution and leadership in the region and world, Retno said Indonesia would occupy important positions in a number of international organizations and forums, such as, chair of ASEAN and G20 (2023), UN Security Council (end 2020) and members of the Human Rights Council United Nations (2021-2022).

However, Retno said the four main priorities would not be achieved if they did not have a strong diplomacy infrastructure. It will be an additional priority or what is referred to as plus 1.

“For this reason, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to strengthen infrastructure of diplomacy, and educate diplomats to become reliable and qualified diplomats,” said Foreign Minister.

Some things that become the focus of diplomacy infrastructure are diplomacy reform, improvement of the quality of natural resources, development of physical infrastructure of diplomacy, strengthening the use of technology, information, and digital transformation. (L/Sj/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)