Indonesia Presses UN: Palestine 'Test of Conscience,' End Colonialism
"Sovereignty must be respected and colonialism must be brought to an end," Sugiono said in his address before the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
He described the "clear violation of international law in Gaza and the West Bank" as echoing a bygone era before 1945 — before the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Geneva Conventions existed.
"Indonesia knows what it means to struggle against colonialism, to struggle in a world where international law was weak and might was right," he said.
Sugiono noted that Indonesia's own path to independence has shaped its unwavering backing of the Palestinian people and their right to chart their own future.
"Indonesia will continue to stand with the Palestinian people until their right to self-determination is fulfilled, and until an independent and sovereign state of Palestine is realized based on the two-state solution, in accordance with international law and internationally agreed parameters," he said.
"Palestine is not only a question for one region; it is a test of whether the multilateral system can uphold the very principles it was created to defend, and whether it can deliver when it matters most," he added.
Push for a Stronger, More Representative Multilateral System
The top diplomat affirmed Indonesia's continued faith in the UN, while insisting the institution "must evolve with the world it serves."
"Let us be clear that the answer to imperfect multilateralism is not less multilateralism," he said. "It is a stronger and better multilateralism; a multilateral system fit for the 21st century must be more representative, more agile and better able to deliver."
Sugiono also revealed Indonesia's bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2029-2030 term, pledging a commitment to "fostering unity, advancing peace."
He said Indonesia intends to keep channels of dialogue open, build common ground and foster practical cooperation, all while upholding the UN Charter.
"As President Prabowo Subianto mentioned in his very lecture last year, one thousand friends are too few and an enemy is too many," he said, noting that this philosophy shapes Indonesia's engagement across the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), the G20, D-8 (D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation), BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) and MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Türkiye and Australia) blocs, as well as the UN itself.
He pointed out that Indonesian peacekeepers have served under the UN flag in Lebanon for nearly two decades.
"UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) may be entering its final chapter, but Indonesia's commitment does not end with the mission," he said.
Sugiono called for greater resilience among nations, regions and international institutions alike. "Because resilience is not simply about surviving the storms, it is about having the strength to keep moving forward together," he said.
The foreign minister said Indonesia's own resilience is anchored in its people, with food and energy security, education, healthcare and economic strength standing as top priorities.
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