Dubrovnik, Croatia – A Crucial Step Forward in Indonesia’s OECD Journey
Against the backdrop of Dubrovnik’s historic old city, the Indonesian Ambassador to Croatia, Suwartini Wirta, represented the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia at the “OECD Dubrovnik Talks” on July 11. This significant event marked a milestone in Indonesia’s accession process to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), as it provided a platform for candidate countries to exchange experiences.
The OECD Dubrovnik Talks, now in its fourth year, brings together high-level officials from various countries to discuss current global issues. The 2025 edition was officially opened by Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlić Radman, and featured a panel with representatives from Thailand, Romania, Peru, and the OECD itself.
During the discussion, Suwartini Wirta emphasized the benefits Indonesia expects to gain from the OECD accession process. These include improvements in policymaking quality and international cooperation, particularly in areas such as digital transformation, green economy, fiscal policy, and public sector governance.
“Indonesia deeply values the support from OECD members, including our partners in Europe,” she stated. “We also appreciate Croatia’s experience as a previous candidate country, which serves as a valuable reference point for our own journey.”
The Indonesian Ambassador highlighted that her participation in the OECD Dubrovnik Talks represents an important opportunity for institutional learning through peer reviews, technical exchanges, and assignments. However, she noted that this process requires close inter-agency coordination to review approximately 32 policy areas and nearly 240 domestic legal instruments.
Key Takeaways from the OECD Dubrovnik Talks
- Indonesia expects to gain benefits from the OECD accession process in terms of policymaking quality and international cooperation.
- The country appreciates the support extended by OECD member countries, including its European partners.
- Close inter-agency coordination is required to review policy areas and domestic legal instruments as part of the accession process.
In conclusion, the Indonesian Ambassador’s participation in the OECD Dubrovnik Talks marks an important step forward in Indonesia’s journey towards OECD membership. This event highlights the significance of cooperation between candidate countries and their partners in Europe, as well as the importance of institutional learning through peer reviews and technical exchanges.