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The government-in-waiting and a reckoning on Indonesia’s foreign policy
It would do well for the incoming government to approach foreign policy with an eye to continuing the diplomacy Indonesia has shaped over the past nine years, in both regional and global matters, into a solid model that other countries can emulate.
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Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi speaks on Nov. 28, 2023 about the situation in Gaza at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. (Antara/Foreign Ministry)
T
raveling by car from Oslo to Bergen one morning last weekend, I was surprised to experience several changes in the weather in a single day. It was as if the Oslo spring was bidding me farewell as birds sang and the heat of the sun reminded me of summer, in contrast with the snow-capped mountains in view, reminding me of winter days past, and as we finally approached Bergen, autumn-like rain welcomed us.
Recalling Vivaldi's best-known work The Four Seasons, I could not help but think of the Indonesian proverb “sedia payung sebelum hujan” (ready an umbrella before rain), which advises preparing ahead in anticipation of future uncertainties.
In the global arena lately, we continue juggling amid many uncertainties, from boiling tensions in the Middle East to power games between major powers, and to the prospects of a slowdown in the global economy.
Six months before a new government is established under president-elect Prabowo Subianto, a process of reckoning is already underway on, I assume, the possible impact of global uncertainties. Perhaps these efforts involve those tasked with overseeing the transition between the current and next government.
Speaking on the correlation between international and domestic issues, referred to as “intermestic” by former foreign minister Hassan Wirajuda, I recall Dino Patti Djalal’s opinion piece published on April 17 in The Jakarta Post. In it, he outlines four major agendas or rather, what I would call four major policy challenges, awaiting president-elect Prabowo.
The three agendas Dino highlighted besides foreign policy, namely legal and judicial reform, democracy and the climate, are very much intertwined with Indonesia’s foreign policy interests. Suffice it to say, success in tackling the challenges associated with each of these will help Indonesia meet its foreign policy objectives, particularly regarding economic diplomacy.
Laser-like focus on legal and judicial reform, coupled with a strong determination to eradicate corruption and red tape, will make Indonesia’s economic climate gain more traction among foreign investors.
