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Indonesia’s 2023 ASEAN chairmanship has officially begun
Indonesia has officially been named next year’s ASEAN chair. This marks the third time for the country, having been chair in 1976, 2003 and 2011 prior.
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (fourth right) takes part in a photo session with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (fifth right), chairman of the House of Representatives’ Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Agency (BKSAP) Fadli Zon (fourth right, rear) and heads of state/government and parliamentary representatives of ASEAN member countries at a meeting of ASEAN leaders with representatives of the ASEAN Inter-Parliament Assembly (AIPA) at the Sokha Hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Thursday. The meeting is part of the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and other related summits. (Source: Antara Foto )
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ndonesia has officially been named next year’s ASEAN chair. This marks the third time for the country, having been chair in 1976, 2003 and 2011 prior. The handover of the ASEAN chairmanship from Cambodia to Indonesia was carried out at the ASEAN Summit earlier this month.
Indonesia's success in becoming the chair of ASEAN was greeted enthusiastically by many parties, and the moment can be seen as a continuation of Indonesia's role and leadership, as it ends its tenure as president of the Group of 20. The role is also a way to prioritize the strength of Indonesia's economic and health diplomacy.
The country will adopt the theme “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”, as revealed by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in Phnom Penh on Sunday (13/11/2022), when he attended the symbolic handover of a hammer from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Moreover, as chair of ASEAN, is it necessary to ensure that all elements in Indonesia have the same views with priority agendas that are of national interest in the ASEAN arena, as the country has been tasked to lead the continuation of accelerating the steps to strengthen domestic coordination, especially in terms of technical, substance and human resources.
The appointment of Indonesia as chair of ASEAN in 2023 is also expected to minimize the various impacts of important issues surrounding politics and security in the region, so that ASEAN can become a more effective organization. In line with its responsibility, Indonesia will also have to safeguard its national interest, as well as come up with new solutions to overcome challenges and crucial issues that have become a concern, whether it is within the region or globally.
Indonesia’s lead is expected to bring stability and prosperity in the region on various issues, including climate change, cyber security, digital economy and disruption of the regional supply chain. To be able to solve all of this, the government must swiftly create a strong foundation of cooperation so that ASEAN can face all kinds of challenges in a responsive manner as a region.
The preparation to take on the leadership position has been started under the coordination line of the Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. In its implementation, she will oversee the three coordinating ministries who will be the custodians of the pillars of the ASEAN community: the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister will take on the political and security pillar, the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy will work on the economics pillar and the sociocultural pillar will be tasked to the Office of the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister.
This year, the Foreign Minister held a coordination meeting on Jan. 12 and a plenary meeting on April 10, which was attended by representatives from 36 ministries as well as elements of the Permanent Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia in ASEAN. The obligation is stipulated in Presidential Regulation No. 53/2020 on the ASEAN National Secretariat. Through the National Secretariat Forum, the Foreign Ministry has ratified various guidelines and references for ministries regarding the successful preparation of the Indonesian Chair, especially regarding timelines and work results.
Indonesia will hold the ASEAN Summit in the first quarter of 2023. This activity is focused on gathering initial proposals for the priority of the chairperson of Indonesia. It will then be followed by meetings to discuss various themes, priority issues, potential deliverables, logos and the national calendar on the second quarter.
Indonesia's chairmanship in ASEAN in 2023 must be able to provide useful work results, not only for ASEAN members but also for Indonesia's national interests in particular and global interests in general. Like the Indonesian presidency of the G20, the results of the work of the Indonesia chairmanship of ASEAN in 2023 must be implemented, of high quality, concrete and must benefit the wider community.
