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AS OF 1 January, Indonesia has become the ASEAN Chair in 2023. Since the founding of ASEAN in 1967, Indonesia has focused on regional peace and stability. Foreign Minister Adam Malik once said that ASEAN must continue to be empowered. An empowered ASEAN will be able to overcome various challenges and use the various opportunities that rise from time to time. (Hesti Riana Ledes, Adam Malik’s Career in Indonesian Politics, Journal, November 2021).
Looking back, there were several moments as well as records for Indonesia that are always remembered in the course of ASEAN history. In 1976 when Indonesia became Chair of ASEAN, the regional organization agreed on the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) and the Bali Concord, particularly the peaceful resolution of conflicts needed as a prerequisite for the economic development of ASEAN countries. Bali Concord and TAC are regional mechanisms to foster trust and cooperation in the region.
In 2003, Indonesia also made the initiative to form the ASEAN Community 2015. It was on Indonesia’s initiative that the ASEAN Community did not only consist of the economic community, but also other pillars, namely the political and security community and the socio-cultural community.
At the time of the 2011 ASEAN chairmanship under the leadership of Indonesia, peace was settled in regards to the Cambodia-Thailand dispute. At the same time, there was support from the United Nations Security Council and the International Court of Justice for Indonesia’s endeavors as Chair of ASEAN in resolving this issue. This proves the world’s trust in ASEAN’s efforts to resolve disputes among its member countries.
It’s been tested on the G20
In general, international relations experts have the same views on Indonesia’s attitude and position in managing the world. Why not? At a time when the world was still not finished dealing with COVID-19, the superpower rivalry was getting sharper, the Russia-Ukraine war, Indonesia showed its expertise in “managing” this problem.
The G20 agreement as outlined in the Leaders’ Declaration last November 2022 is also proof of Indonesia’s efforts that was accepted by the G20.
ASEAN’s relationship with other parties, such as the South China Sea (SCS) conflict, the operationalization of the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific should not be underestimated. Amidst its diverse backgrounds of economic and social levels, ASEAN continues to demonstrate the stability of the economy of its 661 million people in Southeast Asia. (Ryan Zhang, Beating the Odds: How ASEAN Helped Southeast Asia Succeed, Harvard Political Review, 15 March 2020).
Joanne Lin stated that President Jokowi’s determination to resolve the Russia-Ukraine issue cannot be taken lightly. Indonesia is an honest broker at the international level. Even the United Nations has acknowledged this. (Joanne Lin, Lead Researcher, Political-Security Affairs, ASEAN Studies Centre, 21 July 2022).
Selection of the right ASEAN leadership theme
If we observe the 1967 Bangkok Declaration on the establishment of ASEAN, the economic pillar is mentioned first. It states that ASEAN’s first goal is “to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the Southeast Asian region”. (ASEAN’s Bangkok Declaration 1967).
For more than two years, the international community has felt the economic impact of COVID-19. In her annual press statement this year, Minister Retno Marsudi emphasized that Indonesia’s chairmanship was carried out at a time when the world situation was still in a difficult condition. From a geopolitical and economic standpoint, the situation is still not conducive and the world is still experiencing multidimensional challenges. Nevertheless, according to her, Indonesia should be grateful that amidst an economy that is projected to continue to decline, the Southeast Asian region’s economic growth is above the average world economic growth.
Economic growth in the ASEAN region is almost always above the world’s average growth, namely: 2012 ASEAN: 6.2%, world: 2.7%, 2015 ASEAN: 4.8%, world: 3.1%, 2018 ASEAN: 5.2%, world: 3.3%, 2019, ASEAN: 4.6%, world: 2.6%, 2023 ASEAN: 4.7%, world: 2.4%.
The ASEAN economy can be described as follows:
ASEAN’s greatest success in recent years has been in promoting economic integration among its members. It also helped negotiate the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest free trade agreement. (Council for Foreign Relations, April 11, 2022).
Way forward
It was very appropriate that Foreign Minister Retno said that Indonesia would continue to emphasize that the Indo-Pacific must be approached not only from a security aspect but also from an inclusive economic development aspect. This year Indonesia will hold flagship events during its chairmanship in ASEAN, namely the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Forum with a focus on several activities, namely: creative economy, youth conference on digital economy for SDGs, infrastructure forum, and business and investment summit.
To assess Indonesia’s track record in international relations, it can be seen from the examination of Indonesia’s foreign policy concepts from time to time, changes in Asia’s strategic environment, uncertainty and interdependence. There is consistency. That is, in the midst of increasingly difficult world challenges, a positive perspective, cooperation and optimism are even more necessary. This perspective will be applied by Indonesia in carrying out its duties as Chair of ASEAN in 2023.
ASEAN Economic Cooperation which can be used as a reference for Indonesia’s leadership in ASEAN
Not only in Indonesia, but also in the other ASEAN Member States, people need to know the relevance of ASEAN in their daily lives. For example, currently the world is facing the threat of recession, disruption to food security and the environment.
Some examples of ASEAN cooperation in the economic field include:
1. Cooperation in the Food Reserve Sector
An example of ASEAN cooperation in the economic field is in the food reserve sector. This is because ASEAN has two main rice storages, namely Thailand and Vietnam. They are committed to becoming a provider of food reserves for ASEAN member countries.
2. Cooperation in the Industrial Sector Through the ASEAN Industrial Cooperation (AICO)
The aim of cooperation through AICO is to build a number of industries in several countries. One of them is the ASEAN Urea Project which is a urea fertilizer factory that has been built in Malaysia.
3.Cooperation in the Tourism Economy
One of ASEAN’s cooperation in the economic field is the tourism economy. Minister Sandiaga Uno on 5 August 2022 said that for the first time, Indonesian tourism could surpass Thailand. This can be seen in the World Economic Forum Travel and Tourism Development Index, Indonesia rose 12 places and managed to beat Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. Sandiaga Uno also said that Indonesia is also superior in terms of its creative economy. Currently it is included in the list of the top three in the world. Indonesia, he continued, was in third place after the United States with Hollywood and South Korea with K-pop.
4. Cooperation Through the Free Trade Area, ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)
ASEAN cooperation in the next economic field is the formation of a free trade area or AFTA. This free trade area aims to develop producers from the production sector at the local level to obtain special facilities.
We feeling.
In the next seven years, regional integration in the ASEAN region will give a new color to the map of our cooperation with neighboring countries, namely connectivity, IT, educated community, energy and digitalization.
Over the past few years in ASEAN, Indonesia has shown real leadership. It should be noted that since its establishment until now there has not been a single ASEAN decision at any level that has not taken Indonesia’s position into account. When I served as Deputy Secretary General at the ASEAN Secretariat (2011) the late ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan stated that “ASEAN will be a rules-based and people-oriented organization with its own legal personality”. This view of the former Thai Foreign Minister was often repeated in several of his speeches. (Malaysian National News Agency: Bernama.com.my. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009)
The question is whether the achievements, mission and implementation of the ASEAN chairmanship is solely borne by the government? No. According to the 2008 Charter, ASEAN is a people-driven organization, as the late Surin Pitsuwan said above. Business people, NGOs and academics are ASEAN entities. They have their respective roles in building ASEAN.
Since the formation of ASEAN, Indonesia has played a big role in developing the organization. Apart from being one of the founding countries, Indonesia’s presence in ASEAN is also an important indicator of its progress at the regional and global levels. [written by: Bagas Hapsoro, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN (2009-2012). The opinions expressed are his own]
