Foreign Minister Retno Affirms Indonesian Foreign Politics Is Not Transactional

Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi delivered the Annual Press Statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (PPTM 2024) at the Merdeka Building, Bandung, West Java, on Monday (8/1/2024). (ANTARA/HO-Kemlu RI)

JAKARTA - Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi emphasized that Indonesia's foreign politics is not transactional. Every step taken in Indonesian foreign politics is always counted, measurable, with the aim of achieving tangible results.

In the 2024 Annual Press Statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (PPTM) at the Merdeka building, Bandung, Retno said that during the last nine years, Indonesia has consistently implemented active free foreign politics, which is oriented towards national interests and contributes to world peace in accordance with the constitutional mandate.

"Indonesia diplomacy is carried out in a well-founded, well-calculated, action-oriented, result-oriented manner. However, at the same time it continues to uphold values and unshakable principles," said Retno as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, January 8.

Retno explained that Indonesia's foreign politics, which has been run for almost 10 years, has focused on several areas, such as economic, health, protection of Indonesian citizens, and sovereignty concerning the boundaries of Indonesia. Indonesia, he continued, has also actively contributed to regional and world stability. Indonesia's diplomatic achievements in the economic sector, one of which was increased trade and investment. He said Indonesia's trading volume in January to November 2023 was recorded at more than 439 billion US dollars, up almost 24 percent compared to 2014, and experienced a surplus of more than 33 billion US dollars. Meanwhile, the investment value that entered Indonesia from January to September 2023 reached more than 37 billion US dollars, an increase of more than 32 percent compared to 2014," he said. In addition to economic diplomacy, he continued, Indonesia is also active in protecting Indonesian citizens at all levels, ranging from bilateral, regional, to global levels. "Since 2014 to 2023, 218,313 Indonesian cases were successfully resolved, 360 Indonesian citizens were rescued from the death penalty," said Retno. For almost a decade, Indonesia has also successfully agreed on six territorial boundaries agreements with neighboring countries, such as Malaysia, Timor Leste, Philippines, and Vietnam.

In his contribution to maintaining peace in the region and the world, Retno said that Indonesia is consistent in fighting for the rights of the Palestinian people and will fight against the atrocities and colonialism of Israel, encourage the creation of peace in Myanmar, and encourage cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, which is currently a source of tension between forces. Indonesia will also actively encourage cooperation with other countries in overcoming climate change, one of which is through the Forums of Island and Islands (AIS) and the Asia Zero Emission Community or AZEC between ASEAN countries, Japan and Australia. "Indonesia diplomacy will continue to fight for the national interest in strengthening the foundations of the 2045 Golden Indonesia Vision and continue to contribute to the world," said Retno.