South Korea Hands MIKTA Chairmanship to Australia, Emphasizes Multilateralism

South Korea has officially transferred the chairmanship of the MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Türkiye, Australia) consultative group to Australia, marking the end of its year-long leadership. The handover took place during a virtual meeting of MIKTA Foreign Ministers on Thursday, February 19, 2026, with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun presiding over the proceedings.

Strengthening Multilateralism and Practical Cooperation

During the meeting, Minister Cho Hyun underscored the importance of multilateralism and international cooperation, particularly in the face of increasing geopolitical competition and challenges to the international order. He proposed continued advocacy for multilateralism, democracy, and adherence to international law. The discussion focused on revitalizing MIKTA and moving beyond discourse to achieve practical value and concrete results, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Areas of Cooperation

Participants explored avenues for practical cooperation in key areas, including renewable energy, supply chains, critical minerals, vaccines, and related financing mechanisms. This reflects a commitment to leveraging the strengths of each MIKTA member nation to address global challenges. The countries agreed on a future development direction for MIKTA and the need for strengthened collaboration.

South Korea’s Chairmanship Achievements

Throughout its chairmanship, from February 2025 to February 2026, South Korea hosted four Senior Officials’ Meetings (SOMs) and the 28th MIKTA Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New York in September 2025, coinciding with the United Nations General Assembly. During this period, MIKTA issued 15 joint statements at multilateral meetings and participated in over 40 diplomatic engagements at missions abroad. The previous ministerial meeting addressed strengthening multilateralism and the role of youth in tackling global challenges.

Australia Takes the Helm

Minister Cho expressed confidence that MIKTA would continue to thrive under Australia’s leadership, noting Australia’s strong commitment to multilateralism. Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong, along with Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente Ramírez, Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Arif Habas Ugreseno, and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Beris Ekinzi Turkiye, also participated in the meeting.

About MIKTA

MIKTA is a cross-regional consultative platform established in September 2013 during the 68th session of the UN General Assembly. It brings together middle power nations to foster dialogue and cooperation on global issues.