Jakarta, May 19, 2026 – The Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency (Ekraf) held a strategic meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to strengthen institutional collaboration and expand cooperation networks at the global level. Minister of Creative Economy, Teuku Riefky Harsya, together with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sugiono, emphasized the increasingly solid synergy to build strong diplomacy while reinforcing Indonesia’s position as one of the leaders of the Global South and a global creative economy hub.
Minister of Creative Economy, Teuku Riefky Harsya, held a meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (MoFA), Jakarta, Tuesday (19/5/2026).
“As an important element of Indonesia’s Soft Power Diplomacy Grand Strategy, the creative economy has proven to be an effective instrument of diplomacy. A close partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the main foundation for Indonesia to continue strengthening its leadership in the global creative economy arena,” said the Minister of Creative Economy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office, Jakarta, Tuesday (19/05).
The meeting discussed strengthening international cooperation and advancing preparations for the 5th World Conference on Creative Economy (WCCE) 2026. These tactical discussions aimed to formulate the substance and narrative of the creative economy within global forums while opening broader investment opportunities and international market access for Indonesia’s creative economy players.
“This collaboration is highly crucial. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ extensive global network will serve as the key driving force in ensuring the success of our creative diplomacy agenda and expanding its impact on the national economy,” added the Minister of Creative Economy.
Documentation by Bureau for Communication of the Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
WCCE 2026 is planned to be amplified and promoted through Indonesian representatives abroad to attract participation from more than 80 countries. Carrying the theme “Inclusively Creative: Collective Continuity,” the multilateral conference will focus on the sustainability of international cooperation and feature seven main programs: Friends of Creative Economy (FCE) Meeting, Ministerial Meeting, Plenary Session, Creative Session, Creativillage, Bilateral Meeting (B2B, G2G, G2B), and Official Dinner.
In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its readiness to support collaborations that contribute directly to the growth of the national economy and society.
Indonesia’s creative economy performance continues to show positive trends. In 2024, its contribution to the national GDP reached Rp1,611.15 trillion or 7.28 percent. Entering 2025, this positive trend continued with export values reaching USD31.94 billion, investment realization amounting to Rp183.01 trillion, and employment absorption increasing to 27.4 million people. These achievements further strengthen Indonesia’s ambition to increase the creative economy’s GDP contribution to 8.0–8.4 percent by 2029.
The strong track record of cooperation between the two ministries has been established within multilateral dimensions, including the success of WCCE 2018 in Bali, 2021 in Dubai, 2022 in Bali, and 2024 in Tashkent. Furthermore, this synergy successfully supported the submission of United Nations (UN) Resolutions related to the creative economy in 2019 and 2023, as well as partnerships with international organizations such as WIPO, OACPS, and UN DESA.
Documentation by Bureau for Communication of the Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
Beyond multilateral forums, tangible cooperation has also been realized through capacity-building programs for 79 member countries of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) through South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) in Bali. At the bilateral level, active collaboration has been firmly established with seven strategic partner countries, namely Australia, the Netherlands, Denmark, the Philippines, Thailand, France, and the United Kingdom.
During the meeting, the Minister of Creative Economy was accompanied by Deputy for Digital Creativity and Technology Muhammad Neil El Himam, Acting Deputy for Creative Economy Strategy Dian Permanasari, Acting Director for Marketing System Development and Institutional Relations Aulia Chloridiany, and Expert Staff to the Minister Gemintang K. Mallarangeng.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Foreign Affairs was accompanied by Director General for Economic Relations and Development Cooperation Daniel Tumpal S. Simanjuntak, Expert Staff for Economic Diplomacy Zelda Wulan Kartika, Director for Investment and Creative Economy Royhan Nevy Wahab, and Head of the Bureau for Strategic Leadership Support Yvonne Mewengkang.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
