Indonesia Prioritizes Youth Empowerment in D-8 Chairmanship 2026–2027

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Strengthening the role of young people has become one of Indonesia’s key priorities during its chairmanship of the Developing Eight (D-8) for the 2026–2027 period. The issue was highlighted during the Thematic Bakohumas Forum hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Central Jakarta, Thursday , 12 February 2026.

The forum discussed strategic directions and public communication efforts surrounding Indonesia’s leadership among D-8 member countries. Enhancing public narratives was deemed essential to ensure that Indonesia’s international agenda is widely understood by the public.

“There is still room to build strong narratives for the government. Trust is the currency of global leadership. Indonesia’s D-8 chairmanship is an opportunity that must not only resonate in international conference halls but also be felt by the Indonesian people,” Director General of Public Communication and Media at the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, Fifi Aleyda Yahya stated.

Participants emphasized that Indonesia’s leadership must generate tangible benefits domestically. “Global leadership is not only demonstrated to the international community, but its benefits must also be felt by our own people. What does it mean for our farmers? For our MSMEs? The D-8 chairmanship must answer these questions,” Director General of Multilateral Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tri Tharyat conveyed.

In the context of socio-cultural cooperation and strategic partnerships, youth engagement has been identified as a central component of Indonesia’s agenda during its chairmanship. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is collaborating with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to advance youth-related initiatives within the D-8 framework.

Youth engagement in D-8 is focused on strengthening the role of young people in economic diplomacy, energy cooperation, and innovation, particularly throughout Indonesia’s 2026 chairmanship. The initiative seeks to ensure that youth perspectives are integrated into broader development cooperation among member countries.

“OIC Youth Indonesia actively promotes youth forums and cross-country collaboration networks, including the D-8 Youth Dialogue 2025, to integrate youth voices into the architecture of development cooperation,” Ary Aprianto, Director for Socio-Cultural Affairs and Strategic Partnerships at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated.

The ministry is also coordinating with the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Creative Economy, and other relevant institutions to align youth participation with broader national development goals. Cross-sector collaboration is considered essential to maximize the impact of Indonesia’s leadership within the D-8.

The Thematic Bakohumas Forum served as a coordination platform among ministries and agencies to deliver comprehensive information regarding Indonesia’s D-8 chairmanship. Through integrated communication and policy alignment, the government aims to ensure that youth participation becomes a driving force in cooperation among developing countries.