Dear Prof. Maciej Raś, Dean of the Faculty;
Dear Colleagues and Excellencies from Indonesia, Korea, Türkiye, and Australia;
Professors, members of the Faculty and students all:
It is a pleasure for me to be with you this morning of the 78th anniversary of the United Nations, and in particular amongst the young students of political science, international relations, and diplomacy, to celebrate the first 10 years of the MIKTA group.
My colleague and friend from the Republic of Indonesia, Ambassador Anita Luhulima, from the Republic of Indonesia, has made and outstanding job in presenting, in her own terms, what MIKTA is and what we stand for; since we are an informal but well organized and coordinated group of five nations: Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Türkiye, and Australia.
We are, as MIKTA, a somewhat interesting team, aren’t we?
This is not a cluster of nations that follows a regional, or common cultural pattern or even a homogeneous level of economic development. Neither we are not like-minded in all topics.
On the contrary, at a first glance you could almost argue that as such, MIKTA projects more the differences of each of its members rather than a clear set of common features or “like-mindness”.
Saying so, let us consider the advantages that derive from a group of a very diverse countries -all G-20 members- that account for a combined GDP in excess of 7 trillion dollars and a population that represents more than 7% of the world's population. Together, the MIKTA countries are able to mobilize more than 10% of the world's trade and each of our own economies are essential to global supply chains, despite the global disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ups and downs of the most important stock and bond markets of the world, not to mention the reappearance of violent international conflict not only the last few years but also in the last few weeks.
When Mexico and partners took on the initiative to launch MIKTA at the 68th UN General Assembly back in September 2013, the fact that it was created as an informal group did not distract us from our three core objectives:
1) to foster bilateral relations as well as political dialogue amongst its members;
2) to ignite exchange and cooperations projects, and
3) to promote and conduct a common dialogue on a set of common approaches within larger fora and international organizations, such as the United Nations itself, the G-20, the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, to mention the most important of them.
By proposing these 3 main objectives, the governments of Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Türkiye, and Australia set ourselves the fundamental task of contributing to what we should identify as our most important common foundation: We, all 5, we believe in multilateralism, we believe in the uniqueness of the UN System as the main multilateral forum to find common solutions to shared problems. Thus, we are convinced that global governance, is the way to adopt positive and constructive solutions that empower us to better face our shared global challenges.
Not less important in the MIKTA agenda, is the advancement of sustainable development and ensuring a global economic system that is fair and equitable for all. At this crucial time, after ten years of its inception, our collaboration can make a difference and lead us towards a brighter and more sustainable future for all nations and their citizens.
There is no question that, in a geopolitical context characterized by tensions and confrontation, MIKTA will remain a force for dialogue and global solidarity. MIKTA countries we are not expecting to dominate our neighbors or to be recognized or gain leadership as major regional powers. We are more concerned to work for the wellbeing for our peoples.
We believe that the world should continue to privilege diplomacy and negotiation over all other options. That is the only path to peace, stability and prosperity.
As such, Mexico is convinced of the great value of MIKTA and we believe that together we can do much more. It is our wish and interest that we broaden the areas of like-mindness, cooperation and dialogue, that we expand our coordination in all international fora and mechanisms in which we participate and that, to the extent of our regional and global interests, we extend our dialogue to other countries and mechanisms.
In this regard, MIKTA also functions as a platform that integrates the concerns and solutions that non-member countries may want to either propose, for instance by using the partnerships that a group such as MIKTA allows, and voicing and elevating through us their own issues of interest, which can be funding for economic development and entrepreneurship, or political dialogue, in larger multilateral fora such as the G-20.
Contrary but not in opposition to a more much officialized group such as the BRICS, MIKTA was not formed with a specific influential, political, economic, fiscal, and financial agenda.
Despite their differences in terms of economic development, today the economies of the MIKTA countries are among the more open in the world; we as a group standing for free markets without leaving behind the importance of a robust social agenda that secures the welfare of our societies, as set in Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable development goals, our cultural heritage, and last but not the least, the ultimate respect for the international rule of law.
As we approach 2024, the year that Mexico will coordinate the works and collaboration of MIKTA, I would like to stress the windows of opportunity that my country finds in the group, as it allows Mexico to promote its interests in other regions, outside North and Latin America, in order to diversify and strengthen our associations with non-traditional partners that have gained international relevance and, thus, promote the priorities of our foreign policy and participate in the most relevant issues of the international agenda, assuming global commitments and responsibilities.
These constitute, for sure, issues of huge importance, particularly when we are witnessing not only the return of the use of force, a war of aggression but we are also experiencing dramatic economic change. Economists around the world are having problems using fixed terms such as “emerging” economies when all countries in the world, developed and less developed, experienced levels of inflation that impacted all of us more or less in the same way.
As Mexico will receive the coordination of MIKTA next year, we will seek to place women at the center of economic recovery efforts and decision-making processes. We will also promote greater convergence between the development cooperation agendas of the five countries, with a view to exploring joint triangular cooperation projects. By leveraging our combined resources and expertise, we expect to put each of the five countries’ capacities to work together more effectively.
MIKTA's future success is assured because we are in the correct side of history, because we think the world needs to work along the path of dialogue and cooperation, and because we will continue with our historic tradition as constructive and responsible nations seeking to contribute to global prosperity, to fulfill the commitments of Agenda 2023 and the SDGs and the building of sustainable peace.
This is, by the way, not a challenge, but a profound commitment of a generation, considering the sources of violent conflict we are all witnessing.
As this very moment, the international system needs whatever multilateral tools, formal or informal.
As we enter our second decade, let us work to strengthen and broaden MIKTA's reach, to the benefit of global governance and its institutions and to continue living in a rules-based world, that are very badly needed by the international community.
