Sugiono Calls for Stronger Multilateral System to Address Global Challenges

New York: Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono has called for the strengthening and reform of the multilateral system to ensure it can adapt to global changes and respond more effectively to international challenges.

He also stressed that multilateralism must deliver tangible results to maintain public trust.

Sugiono made the remarks in his speech at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, on Saturday (Sept. 26).

Sugiono said Indonesia and the United Nations were founded 81 years ago in the aftermath of World War II, driven by a shared belief that the future of the world must be built on peace.

However, the past eight decades have also been marked by a series of crises, ranging from financial turmoil and global pandemics to climate disasters, geopolitical rivalries and conflicts in various parts of the world.

Amid these changes and crises, Sugiono said there is one important lesson: peace and prosperity require a resilient multilateral system.

“To ensure that peace and prosperity endure, multilateralism must be resilient. It must be able to adapt, respond, and, most importantly, deliver results,” Sugiono said.

He added that the ability of the multilateral system to deliver concrete results is closely linked to public trust. If the system fails to produce results, he said, trust in multilateralism will erode.

Stronger Multilateral System

Indonesia therefore believes that the multilateral system needs to be strengthened and adapted to address today’s global challenges.

Sugiono stressed that the answer to the weaknesses of multilateralism is not to reduce its role.

“Let us make it clear that the answer to imperfect multilateralism is not less multilateralism. The answer is stronger and better multilateralism,” he said.

Sugiono said a multilateral system fit for the 21st century should have three key characteristics: it must be more representative, more agile and more capable of delivering results.

He acknowledged that institutional transformation cannot be achieved overnight. However, the urgency of the challenges facing the world today requires countries to start taking action.

“Institutional transformation will not happen overnight, but the urgency of today’s challenges requires us to act now,” Sugiono said.

He added that strengthening collective capacity to respond to crises is among the steps that need to be taken.

The multilateral system, he said, must be able to respond effectively to global crises and humanitarian situations while safeguarding peace, development and international cooperation. (Razaqa Hariz)

Also read: UN General Assembly Session Officially Opens, Foreign Minister Sugiono Leads Indonesian Delegation