79th Independence Day reminds Indonesia to strengthen diplomacy

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JAKARTA (ANTARA) – On August 17, 2024, Indonesia’s Independence Day ceremony was a firm reminder that for 79 years, Indonesia has been an equal partner in the global community and contributed to world peace.

In addition, the red and white flag was raised for the first time at the National Palace Square in Nusa Tenggara, the new capital of Indonesia, which is Indonesia’s latest masterpiece and has attracted worldwide attention.

Countries around the world have expressed their congratulations to Indonesia and wished it prosperity. In addition to leaders, ambassadors from various countries to Indonesia have also expressed the same wishes.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken extended his congratulations to the Indonesian people on Indonesia’s 79th Independence Day, and expressed hope that Indonesia and the United States would expand cooperation in various areas including Indo-Pacific security, clean energy transition, and digital transformation.

Meanwhile, Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Sergey Torchenov expressed optimism that all Indonesian people will enjoy happiness and prosperity on Indonesia’s 79th Independence Day, and that friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries will be strengthened.

In his Independence Day greetings, Turkish Ambassador to Indonesia Talip Kucukcan also firmly believed that the prospects for Turkey-Indonesia relations will be brighter in the future and the cooperation between the two countries in various fields will be stronger.

The world’s attention on Indonesia should remind us of the importance of diplomacy in maintaining friendly relations with various countries and the international community, safeguarding national interests and current global initiatives.

Afro-Asian solidarity

In April 1955, Indonesia, which had been established for less than 10 years, ignited the spark of Asian-African unity by convening the Bandung Conference (known as the Asian-African Conference in Indonesia).

This conference became the core of the birth of the Non-Aligned Movement, which provided an alternative for newly independent developing countries to break away from the sphere of influence of the global superpowers of the time.

This also provides legitimacy for Indonesia to continue to play the role of leader and pioneer in achieving common prosperity for the people of Asia and Africa. Therefore, Indonesia will host the second Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) in Bali next September.

Siti Nugraha Maulidiya, director of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Information and Public Diplomacy Department, said the conference will serve as a platform for Indonesia to assist African countries in their efforts to advance development and economy and achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the 2063 Africa Development Goals.

Besides targeting the attendance of representatives from 28 major African countries, which account for more than half of Africa’s population, Indonesia also hopes that the second Indian Ocean Forum will achieve $3.5 billion in transactions between Indonesian and African companies.

African countries warmly welcomed the Indonesian initiative through the Second Africa Forum, as expressed by Ambassador Belmiro José Marate of Mozambique.

He expressed hope that the international forum could help establish mechanisms to strengthen cooperation between Indonesia and Africa.

He is confident that Mozambique can reach consensus with Indonesia on ways to implement and finance the projects sought by the two countries.

The ambassador also believes that through the Second Indonesia Investment Forum, the Mozambican private sector can expand its business into Indonesia, thus helping the country’s economic development.

“Because the responsibility of developing the country is not just the government’s responsibility, it is also the responsibility of all the people,” he affirmed.

Palestinian solidarity

In addition, Indonesia’s support for the Palestinian cause remains unwavering and the country continues to speak out for the Palestinian people on the world stage.

The Indonesian people’s determination to help Palestine get rid of Israeli oppression is also reflected in diplomacy. The preamble of the Indonesian Constitution clearly states that “all colonialism in the world is incompatible with humanity and justice and must be abolished.”

Palestinian solidarity is therefore one of the messages that Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has been persistently conveying to the global community at every opportunity, such as during the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Laos last July.

In major conferences and retreats, as well as meetings with ASEAN dialogue partners, Marsudi constantly reminded her counterparts of the importance of supporting the Palestinian people, calling for an immediate ceasefire and swift recognition of the state.

Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Pahara Mansoori also reiterated Indonesia’s determination to expand the Palestinian cause as much as possible, including during the upcoming second Indonesian military exercise in September.

Indonesia’s resolve to support Palestine was enough to convince Palestinian Ambassador Zuhair Arshun that despite the upcoming change in government, Indonesia remains the leading advocate of the Palestinian struggle for independence.

He said that for the same reasons, the Palestinian people share the solidarity and joy of the Indonesian people and leaders who celebrated the 79th anniversary of independence on August 17.

Arshun stressed: “The 79th anniversary of Indonesia’s independence is not only a great day for Indonesians, but also a great day for us Palestinians.”

Indonesia’s global initiatives and commitments have led more countries to rely on Indonesia to help them achieve their national goals, and have also made these countries more confident that cooperating with Indonesia will benefit them.

Therefore, while fulfilling its national obligations for prosperity and security, Indonesia should also adhere to safeguarding its national interests and mission in the world.

This becomes even more important as Indonesia will face new challenges globally, such as geopolitical instability, food and energy crises, and economic dynamics that affect people’s lives at home.

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