Dressed in the traditional Paksian attire of Bangka Belitung province, Jokowi took to the podium at the House of Representatives building – the third year he has done so under the specter of the pandemic.

In his 30-minute speech to mark the 77th anniversary of Indonesia’s independence, Jokowi boasted about the country being at the pinnacle of global leadership as the international community became more trusting of Indonesia. 

“We top the global leadership and have a great opportunity to foster international cooperation,” Jokowi told a mostly maskless audience of executive, legislative and judicial members.

The President, who early in his administration was only marginally interested in foreign affairs, highlighted the country’s increasingly active role on the global stage as Indonesia assumes the Group of 20 presidency this year and plays a peacemaker role between the warring Russia and Ukraine.

In late June, Jokowi traveled to Kyiv and Moscow to meet his Ukrainian and Russian counterparts, Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin, in a diplomatic effort to help ease the ongoing war’s impact on the international community.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has delivered shockwaves to global supply chains and stoked an energy crisis following international sanctions imposed on Moscow — a major oil and gas producer — leading to rising inflation in many countries. 

Jokowi was the first Asian leader to meet both Zelensky and Putin since the beginning of the invasion in late February. 

“Russia and Ukraine have welcomed Indonesia as the bridge for peace. We are acknowledged by major countries amid rising geopolitical heat,” Jokowi said.

The visit came as Indonesia chairs the G20 biggest economies this year and will host the grouping’s summit in November. 

Next year, the country will take over the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN.The United Nations has also appointed Jokowi as one of six world leaders selected as “champions” of the UN’s Global Crisis Response Group to tackle the world’s food, energy and financial crisis.

“High trust from the international community can be felt in our country,” Jokowi added.  

Stepping onto the global stage

Jusuf Wanandi, vice chairman of the board of trustees of the Jakarta-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), applauded Jokowi’s foreign policy achievement and commented that he needed to do more, especially as Indonesia prepares for ASEAN leadership next year.

“Early in his administration President Jokowi had been reluctant to focus on international relations. But now he is aware that international politics are very important and are tied to domestic politics,” Jusuf said during The Jakarta Post’s live coverage of the state address.

Jusuf described the speech as “very positive” as it showed that Jokowi had turned around in embracing his growing roles on both the regional and global stage.

“With all the preparation for the G20 and all the efforts that he has made and [all he] is still trying to do, it will be interesting for us to see a new Jokowi arise like a phoenix,” he said.

Jusuf also welcomed Jokowi’s recognition of the worsening global situation, not merely because of the ongoing G20 presidency, but because the President “is aware that all these conflicting tendencies in the world is going to limit our achievements that we have reached so far.”

While Jokowi seemed to be aware that the country’s role in the G20 is important, Jusuf said, his administration still needed to be prepared for coming challenges given the divided world, stressing that: “one Bali meeting is not going to [overcome it].”

“That’s why [Jokowi] has to pay more attention. Not because he is the head of the G20 …, but also because he is aware that all these conflicting tendencies in the world are going to limit our achievements that we have reached so far.”

The country’s upcoming chairmanship of ASEAN should also be seen as critical, Jusuf added, as only through ASEAN can the country really exert its influence in the region, as countries in the region “are slowly but surely drawn into more conflicts, more problems.”

“This is an effort that Indonesia not only has the right to participate in but there are a lot of expectations that we are going to play a bigger role and that ASEAN is an instrument that we all have to support,” Jusuf said.

“Otherwise we don’t have the possibility of having a peaceful and fruitful future to develop together. So it is a very important effort on our side,” Jusuf said.

Philips J. Vermonte, the dean of the Department of Social Sciences of the Indonesian International Islamic University (UIII), noted the inclusion of global agendas in his achievement also showed that Jokowi wanted to close his term on a positive note.

“Of course, he wants to close his term with high marks, and that's why…for him, before the war in Ukraine happened, President Jokowi was thinking of successfully hosting the G20. It is such a big event. [It] would resonate with the public in Indonesia, [showing] that he is also a foreign policy president,” Philips said.