Indonesia plans to ramp up lobbying for UN Security Council seat

By Dian Septiari in Jakarta

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi is set to lobby more countries to vote for her country in its campaign for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council ahead of the vote that will take place next week.

Retno said she would head for New York again on Sunday, a few days before voting day on June 8.

“On the 4th [Monday] there will a diplomatic reception at the United Nations headquarters, while on the 5th, 6th and the 7th I still have the chance for more lobbying before voting day,” she told reporters on the sidelines of an iftar (breaking-of-the-fast) event at the Foreign Ministry on Monday.

In the last two weeks, Retno has visited New York, Guyana, Argentina and Peru and attended forums, where she also talked about Indonesia’s campaign for the seat.

Retno expressed her optimism, counting on Indonesia’s track record and contributions to world’s peace.

“Hopefully with all the contributions well-documented, it will become the reason why the countries vote for Indonesia,” she said.

She said if Indonesia gained the seat, it would prioritise contributions to peace, including in peace-keeping operations, realising the Sustainable Development Goals and pushing for more cooperation to solve transnational organised crime.

• Dian Septiari is a Jakarta Post journalist.

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