MIKTA group, under Indonesia’s presidency, unveils 2023 rich, diversified cultural program in Algeria
By: Hana Saada
ALGIERS– The diverse and cross-regional and value-based MIKTA group, made up of Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey and Australia, held, on Thursday, March 16, 2023, at the headquarters of the Embassy of the Republic of South Korea in Algeria, a meeting with the Algerian media personnel.
During the meeting, the Chairman of the MIKTA group, in this case; the Indonesian Ambassador to Algeria, delivered a speech, unveiling the group’s annual program to the Algerian public, followed by a debate consecrated to a range of MIKTA group-related issues.
“We plan to organize, this year, four cultural events for the Algerian public,” noted the Indonesian Ambassador Mr. Chalief Akbar Tjandraningrat.
In this vein, an essay contest for students, on the challenges and opportunities of MIKTA, has been announced.
As part of their program, it was also announced that MIKTA Film Festival will be held during the second half of this year 2023. Noting that the previous edition was held, last October, at the Ibn Khaldoun Hall in Algiers, and was marked by the screening of a range of films, including the Indonesian movie “Kartini: The Princess of Java”.
Turkey handed over the MIKTA chairmanship relay to Indonesia at the meeting in New Delhi on March 2, 2023. As a result of the handover, Indonesia will hold the position of MIKTA chairman for one year and has set 3 priorities.
As chairman of the MIKTA, Indonesia is committed to further enhance cultural exchange between nations, promote regional stability, address security challenges, including terrorism, maritime security and cyber threats, advance economic cooperation and integration since the Asian country has a growing economy and is a major player in ASEAN, reinforce the rule of law, advocate peaceful resolution of conflicts in the international system and foster international cooperation thanks to the diversity within the group, which undoubtedly allows the members to share their knowledge and perspectives resulting from varied experiences.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi, on her part, outlined three priorities that Indonesia will focus on during its MIKTA chairmanship, namely:
- Strengthening multilateralism
“Indonesia believes that multilateralism is the best way to ensure that all countries stand on the same level and prevent the arbitrariness of those in power,” said Marsudi, as quoted by kemlu.go.id.
- Inclusive recovery
“The Sustainable Development Goals remain MIKTA’s core agenda which is strengthened by inclusive dialogue with external partners,” she stated.
- Digital transformation
The future of a prosperous MIKTA economy lies in digitalization, which presents both significant opportunities and challenges
“Therefore, this year MIKTA should intensify its efforts to build norms, share best practices, and galvanize collective responses,” she said.
To do this, the MIKTA intends to organize different events worldwide, including Algeria that bring together peoples with diversified cultures.
It is worth mentioning that MIKTA, created in 2013 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, stands for the names of its five member countries: Mexico, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Turkey, and Australia.
Since its formation, MIKTA has focused on a wide range of issues, including trade, investment, energy, climate change, security and international development. The group has held annual foreign ministerial meetings and has established working groups on different topics to promote collaboration and exchange of best practices.
