Indonesia’s accession process to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has become one of the government’s strategic agendas to enhance the quality of economic governance and align national policies with international standards. However, for civil society, this process is not only about global economic integration but also a crucial catalyst for strengthening public policy governance reforms across various sectors.
This was one of the key topics discussed in a meeting between the civil society coalition and the National OECD Team at the office of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in Jakarta on Thursday, March 5, 2026. The meeting was attended by Deputy II for Investment and Economic Cooperation at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Edi Prio Pambudi, along with the government’s technical team involved in the accession process.
This dialogue is part of the civil society coalition’s initiative to obtain updates on the progress of Indonesia’s accession process and to convey views and recommendations from various policy perspectives. The attending coalition consisted of several civil society organizations with diverse focus areas, including INFID, which highlighted development and fiscal policy issues; PRAKARSA, which raised taxation and social welfare concerns; Publish What You Pay Indonesia, focused on responsible business practices and governance in the natural resources and energy sector; the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL), emphasizing environmental protection aspects; the International Budget Partnership (IBP), related to budget transparency; and Migrant CARE, bringing perspectives on migrant worker protection. Additionally, gender equality and anti-corruption issues were also important parts of the discussion presented by representatives of the attending civil society organizations.
In the meeting, the civil society coalition emphasized the importance of ensuring that the OECD accession process is not merely a technocratic government agenda but also involves meaningful public participation. Experiences in various countries show that a lack of multi-stakeholder dialogue in international policy review processes can create gaps between global commitments and national implementation realities.
Currently, Indonesia’s accession process is in the technical review stage of the initial memorandum submitted to the OECD by the government in June 2025. This document is the government’s self-assessment of the extent to which national regulations and policies align with OECD standards and instruments. At this stage, various OECD committees are conducting further evaluations of this alignment through review processes and cross-ministerial and institutional coordination.
The civil society coalition views this phase as highly important, as it is a critical point to ensure that the assessment process is not based solely on the government’s perspective but also considers input from various stakeholders, including civil society.
On the occasion, Meliana Lumbantoruan, Deputy Director of Publish What You Pay Indonesia, emphasized that, from the perspective of natural resources and energy governance, OECD accession should be understood not merely as an economic diplomacy process but also as an opportunity to strengthen reforms in that sector in Indonesia. She emphasized that Indonesia’s position as a key player in the global mineral and energy supply chain makes strengthening standards for transparency, public integrity, and accountability highly relevant in this accession process.
According to her, the natural resources and energy sector is one with high risks of corruption, conflicts of interest, and weak public oversight. Therefore, the OECD accession process should be leveraged to promote stronger governance standards, including transparency and responsible business practices. She also stressed the importance of ensuring that the government’s self-assessment in the initial memorandum leaves room for input from civil society, particularly regarding high-risk sectors such as natural resources.
Furthermore, PWYP Indonesia highlighted the importance of clarity in the government’s plans to adopt or strengthen the implementation of OECD standards for responsible mineral supply chains, given Indonesia’s increasingly strategic position in the global critical minerals supply chain. Additionally, it is crucial for the government to establish mechanisms for public consultation and regular dialogue with civil society throughout the accession process, so that the policy reforms undertaken are not merely formal but genuinely enhance public accountability.
Meanwhile, other civil society organizations also conveyed various sectoral perspectives relevant to OECD standards. Some highlighted the importance of fair and transparent fiscal policy reforms, strengthening social protection and public welfare, improving budget transparency, and protecting Indonesian migrant workers abroad. Environmental protection issues, gender equality, and strengthening public policy integrity were also key parts of the recommendations submitted to the government.
Through this dialogue forum, the civil society coalition hopes that Indonesia’s OECD accession process can proceed in a more transparent, inclusive, and accountable manner. Early involvement of civil society is deemed essential to ensure that the policy reforms undertaken are not only aimed at formally meeting international standards but also deliver real impacts on improving governance and protecting public interests in Indonesia.
Writer: Meliana Lumbantoruan