An Innovative Partnership
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MIKTA AN INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP 05/2018 www.csm.org.pl MIKTA is a five-country cross-regional consultative and coordination platform that emerged on the margins of UN General Assembly in New York on September 25, 2013. It’s grouping Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey Bruno Surdel and Australia, every single of them are rising and CIR expert, political scientist and historian, PhD in humanities. Graduated from the resilient open economies with strong open domestic University of Warsaw. 2011 - 2016 he was markets and demographic structure, as well as large a lecturer at the Zirve University in Gaziantep - Turkey. Several times visiting democracies. professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing - National Since its inception, MIKTA has been advertising itself as Institute of International Strategy; in Shanghai: Shanghai International Studies a „New Innovative Partnership” based on its diverse University, and Renmin University (Beijing). He attended many international composition: it encompasses different civilizations, conferences on Asia and the Middle East. religions, economies and geographies. This may be He has conducted research on international security in Turkey - Middle considered both as a strength and weakness but definitely East - China regions. His research interests include also the Belt and Road initiative grants the informal grouping leverage and a certain (BRI). authority on the international stage. MIKTA is much less known than G7 or Quite uniquely - and unlike the G7 and the BRICS and it may be construed as a BRICS – MIKTA has among its members response to both of them. All of the two large, respected Muslim-majority coun- members participate in the G20 forum, tries: Indonesia and Turkey, filling the 1 four in OECD, two (Australia and obvious vacuum and potentially making it a Mexico) - in the newly formed CPTPP2. more capable and convincing global actor The G20 summits have always been and broker. Furthermore, MIKTA’s an important venue for MIKTA, where its participants vowed to „play strength lies in the strategic locations of its a constructive role” to „further en- participants on four continents although it hance MIKTA's contribution to may also be a liability taking into account achieving inclusive and sustainable permanent instability of the Middle East and 3 economic growth”. Recently, however, South Korea’s unpredictable, nuclear it seems that more and more its inter- neighbour to the north.6 It’s also striking ests are moving towards United Na- that almost all MIKTA countries are Pacific tions as a more universal platform. nations with a notable exception being Turkey that also stands out as a country Force for good uniquely situated between the Middle East MIKTA „counts among its members the and Europe – not fully integrated in either of 12th-, 14th-, 15th-, 16th- and 17th-largest them but balancing in the midst of both. economies in the world”.4 Its members Mexico – on the other hand – as a North refer to their grouping as „a force for good American country has been always ‘con- in promoting the delivery of global public tained’ by the superpower – the USA with goods”5, as they „share universal values which it shares the NAFTA membership, such as democracy and human rights” and and – as a Latin American country – chal- „have a significant level of economic pow- lenged by the rise of Brazil. er”. MIKTA is also well-suited for bridging Interestingly, for both MIKTA offers a kind the divide between developing and devel- of ‘springboard’ from which they can gain oped countries („North – South”) as it’s added impetus they definitely need to build made up of both of them. their international standing. Indonesia with its remarkable record of facilitating the birth and development of Non-Aligned Move- ment and ASEAN’s membership enjoys a 1 The notable exception in this respect is Indone- very special position with which it can sia. 2 Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for contribute to MIKTA’s future position in Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP): Australia, the world of emerging economies in Asia Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. and Africa. On the other hand, MIKTA can 3 8 MIKTA Foreign Ministers Meeting Joint Com- provide Indonesia - with the tools necessary munique, November 25, 2016 https://www.kemlu.go.id/en/berita/Pages/mikta to boost its national interests and global -fm-joint-communique.aspx connectivity without demanding onerous 4 http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/arti cle/article.aspx?aid=2998846 5 http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/arti cle/article.aspx?aid=3004508 6 http://www.mikta.org/about/vision.php MIKTA AN INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP | Bruno Surdel 3 commitments.7 South Korea is a ‘middle terrorism, migration or sustainable devel- power’ as well as a ‘developed’ donor opment – all of which have been top on country but politically it is ‘squeezed’ be- MIKTA’s agenda. tween such giants as China, Russia, Japan Still, there is a chance that MIKTA’s very and the USA which guarantees its security nature converts into just another ‘talking from a nuclear nightmare. It comes as no shop’ producing solemn statements without surprise that the very idea of the formation any actual follow up in the real life. This of MIKTA is credited to Seoul. 8 was the fate of such strongly formalized organizations as the League of Arab States. Informal nature To some extent, MIKTA’s diversity deter- MIKTA shapes its identity on the informal mines its activity in this way that makes it nature of the network and – so far – its ‘universal’ and ‘vague’ alike. highest, ‘decision-making’ body remains MIKTA countries are not willing to focus the foreign ministers’ summit. The MIK- extensively on their respective internal TAs seem to be happy with its construction governance or other issues. It may constitute and are reluctant to change it. This attitude a deficit for some, but it also paradoxically is especially visible on the side of Mexico increases the efficiency of this group. It can and Indonesia. In fact, it’s a convenient and still operate as an informal consultation and highly pragmatic solution due to the group’s model forum on various subjects. immense diversity in terms of culture, econ- omy and geography. This kind of ‘partner- Foreign policy vehicle? ship’ enables flexibility and actually makes it a more ‘democratic’ and ‘innovative’ In the „Vision Statement”, adopted at the platform for valuable consultation and fifth Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Seoul in cooperation in critical issues of common 2015, the network see themselves as „an interest e.g. North Korean nuclear threat, agenda-setter on the global stage” that should be able to „build norms, share best practices and forge collective responses in a 7 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/1 manner agreeable to all MIKTA mem- 0/24/mikta-what-does-it-want.html 8 https://www.e-ir.info/2015/12/09/review- mikta-middle-powers-and-new-dynamics-of- global-governance/ MIKTA AN INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP | Bruno Surdel 4 bers.”9 Generally, there is impression that istration in the USA and its policies, exem- MIKTA is a foreign policy vehicle more plified by recently introduced tariffs on than anything else. Consecutively, it has imports of steel and aluminium. become a platform for promoting either The MIKTA envisions itself as a strong highly general or specifically national inter- voice ‘for good’ representing five ‘middle ests of its members. Nevertheless, their joint powers’ situated in opposite corners of the statements or positions have good chances world but still „like-minded on many of the to be noticed and heard. MIKTA is driven global challenges of our time” that has a by big ambitions: it wants to be a construc- significant capacity to achieve extraordinary tive force in areas such as good governance results in promoting its goals in the future. and democracy, sustainable development, These are: playing „a constructive role in climate change, counter terrorism, non- the international agenda and exert greater proliferation and global security. MIKTA influence”. Obviously, the network’s mem- also expressed its interest in reforming bers already exert remarkable influence in international financial institutions as well as their respective regions. international energy governance 10 and 11 global governance as such. Members’ positions Within the G20, MIKTA has always de- 1. Mexico clared its resistance to protectionism and support to an „innovative, open and inclu- Mexico, a North American ‘middle power’ sive world economy” as well as to with a population of 130 million, is ‘locked’ „strengthening the global trading system”. 12 between the USA and Brazil. It’s member- This approach is noteworthy taking into ship in the Community of Latin American account the new global situation in this and Caribbean States (CELAC) proved respect: the rhetoric of the Trump admin- succesful but Mexico is seeking to rebuild its strength by further diversification of its international presence, especially where it has been deficient. Mexico’s MIKTA en- 9 http://www.mikta.org/about/vision.php 10 https://www.kemlu.go.id/en/berita/Pages/mik gagement can be seen a part of these efforts ta-fm-joint-communique.aspx and – paradoxically - it’s a particularly 11 http://www.mikta.org/about/vision.php 12 https://www.kemlu.go.id/en/berita/Pages/mi attractive forum thanks to the relatively kta-fm-joint-communique.aspx MIKTA AN INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP | Bruno Surdel 5 weak ties it imposes on its participants. On Indonesia - an Asian country with a massive the other hand, MIKTA offers real opportu- population and a vibrant culture - used to be nities to enhance multilateral and (often a champion of the Non-Alignment Move- more important) bilateral cooperation in ment and still is the informal leader of the terms of economy and technology, trade and Association of Southeast Asian Nations investment.