Sugiono Cancels Attendance at ADF 2026, FM: Minister Must Remain in Jakarta

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Indonesian Foreign Minister, Sugiono, has canceled his attendance at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) 2026, scheduled to take place from April 17–19 in Antalya, Türkiye. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Yvonne Mewengkang, stated that the cancellation was based on a strategic directive from the President of Indonesia, requiring the minister to remain in Jakarta.

“It is conveyed that the planned working visit of the Indonesian Foreign Minister to Antalya, Türkiye, to participate in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) 2026 cannot be carried out as scheduled,” Yvonne said in her statement on Friday, April 17, 2026.

Previously, Foreign Minister Sugiono is scheduled to attend the annual diplomacy forum hosted by the Turkish government, with two main agendas: serving as a panelist in a discussion session on ASEAN and attending the ministerial-level meeting of the Group of Eight (G8). The G8 meeting refers to a forum of eight member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which will discuss developments in the Middle East, including the issue of Palestine.

Despite the minister’s absence, Indonesia will still participate in the forum. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia to Türkiye will represent the minister at the Group of Eight meeting.

“The Indonesian Ambassador to Türkiye will represent the Foreign Minister at the Group of Eight meeting, which is also expected to be attended by officials from other G8 member states,” Yvonne said.

She added that Indonesia will continue to ensure its active role in advancing discussions on the Palestinian peace process and current geopolitical issues in the Middle East.

Furthermore, Yvonne emphasized that the Foreign Minister’s absence from ADF 2026 does not diminish Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Türkiye, both bilaterally and within the ASEAN framework.

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum is an annual diplomatic platform organized by the Turkish government to discuss global and regional issues, involving various stakeholders including partner countries, international organizations, academics, think tanks, and business actors. This year’s forum carries the theme “Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties.”