Prabowo Brings Three Key Messages to 2026 BRICS Summit - Tempo.co English
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto brought three key messages to the BRICS Summit—national self-reliance, Global South unity, and the strengthening of BRICS cooperation—according to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
"A nation's strength stems from its ability to meet its people's basic needs: food, energy, and education. With a strong foundation, Indonesia will not be dependent on or easily dictated to by certain powers," Teddy said in a written statement cited in Jakarta on Monday.
Teddy noted that President Prabowo emphasized these three messages while attending the BRICS Summit's restricted session, titled "Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism," on Saturday, September 12, 2026.
According to Teddy, the President's first message focused on the importance of national self-reliance and resilience, starting with the state's capacity to fulfill the public's fundamental needs.
Food, energy, and educational resilience, he stated, are not merely matters of domestic necessity; they also serve as assets enabling Indonesia to independently determine its development trajectory and national interests.
President Prabowo's second message concerned strengthening unity among Global South nations. The Head of State highlighted the importance of solidarity in facing global challenges, citing an Indonesian proverb.
"Citing the proverb 'United we stand, divided we fall,' the President reiterated the importance of the spirit of the Asian-African Conference. Global South nations now stand on equal footing to champion their own interests and futures," Teddy revealed.
Teddy remarked that the spirit of the Asian-African Conference remains relevant as developing nations assume increasingly significant roles in the global economy and geopolitics.
President Prabowo's third message highlighted the immense strength of BRICS, which represents half of the world's population. The President believes this potential must be translated into concrete collaboration that benefits developing nations.
"BRICS represents half of the world's population. This strength must be transformed into tangible cooperation: strengthening food and energy resilience; connecting markets, capital, technology, resources, and knowledge; and opening up greater development opportunities for developing nations," Teddy said. In addition to those three messages, President Prabowo advocates for a fairer and more inclusive global governance structure, while maintaining the United Nations (UN) as the core of the global multilateral system.
“The UN must remain the center of the multilateral system, yet it needs to be strengthened to become more representative, responsive, and capable of delivering concrete results for the global community,” Teddy added.
Teddy emphasized that, through its membership in BRICS, Indonesia continues to actively promote a world order that is fairer, more equitable, and peaceful for all nations.
