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What is France’s strategy for Indo-Pacific all about?
ASEAN is to remain at the heart of the construction of a multipolar Asia and the establishment of a regional security architecture.
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French amphibious assault helicopter carrier, Tonnerre, approaches to dock at Cochin Port, in Kochi, India on March 30, 2021. (AFP/Jiji)
In 2018, the president of the French Republic defined the principles and axes of France's strategy in the Indo-Pacific. It is based on the observation that profound strategic transformations are underway, marked by the challenge of China's rise to power, the intensification of Sino-American competition, the persistence of hot spots, and the fact that the Indo-Pacific region has become the engine of global economic growth (nearly 40 percent of global gross domestic product).
In this emerging area, France wants to act as a stabilizing power and to promote effective multilateralism, based on the rule of law and the refusal of coercion. It intends to pursue its cooperative approach, respecting the sovereignty of each country, without any bloc logic, with a view to reducing tensions and collectively facing the challenges posed by the preservation of global public goods.
In this French and European vision, ASEAN occupies a central place. ASEAN is to remain at the heart of the construction of a multipolar Asia and the establishment of a regional security architecture. The method and mechanisms developed in the "ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific", show strong convergence with the French and European approaches and form a solid foundation for intensifying our partnerships in the service of stability, the promotion of an international order based on rules and respect for international law, balanced, resilient and sustainable economic development, the deployment of quality infrastructures and the preservation of our common goods.
The intensification of relations with ASEAN is one of our priorities, both at the national and European levels. This is why the European Union has strengthened its commitment to ASEAN in 2020, elevating the relationship between our two regions to a strategic partnership. This is also why France is pleased to have reached the status of development partner of ASEAN in 2020, relying in particular on the action of the French Development Agency (AFD), which has financed since 2010 more than 170 projects representing 4 billion euros (US$4.24 billion) of commitment.
AFD has been supporting Indonesia's efforts to preserve biodiversity, adapt to climate change and consolidate sustainable and inclusive development since 2007, with over 3 billion euros committed. The official launch of our development partnership in March 2021 and the conclusion of the negotiations of the France-ASEAN development partnership action plan last October are important steps and proof of our determination to make concrete and long-term commitments.
They will enable us to consolidate these efforts throughout the region, by promoting the implementation of clearly identified programs that are consistent with the needs expressed by our ASEAN partners and capable of responding to the challenges they face, drawing on France's recognized expertise, particularly in the areas of health, environment and blue economy.
France's accession to the status of observer to the working groups of the ASEAN Defense Ministerial Meeting-Plus (ADMM+), for 2023, the year of Indonesia's presidency of ASEAN, testifies our desire to contribute in a concrete manner to the regional security architecture.
This year, we will participate in the ADMM+ working groups on maritime security and peacekeeping operations. Our commitment to security in the region is also illustrated by the deployment of French Navy vessels, such as the Jeanne d'Arc mission which, in March 2023, will contribute to strengthening our strategic partnership with Indonesia. France is also an observer at ASEANPOL, for strengthening the fight against terrorism and organized crime.
France continues to take a leading role in promoting a European agenda for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and with countries and organizations in the region. A first Ministerial Forum dedicated to cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was organized in Paris in February 2022, during the French presidency of the Council of the European Union.
This forum, organized on the eve of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, marked the European Union's collective and lasting interest in deepening its cooperation with partner countries in the Indo-Pacific region. It brought together some sixty ministerial representatives or regional organizations from the European Union and the Indo-Pacific, including Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. It concluded with several collective commitments on connectivity and digital technology, global issues and maritime security. The adoption of a Joint Declaration on Privacy and Personal Data Protection, in which the European Union member states and 13 Indo-Pacific states, including Singapore and the Philippines, participated, was a major step forward.
We are also working to ensure that the centrality of the partnership between the European Union and ASEAN is fully reflected in the European Global Gateway strategy. The EU-ASEAN Leaders' Summit on Dec. 14, 2022 marked the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two organizations. This relationship is long and strong, and we are committed to giving it substance and continuity.
With this in mind, the EU-ASEAN Strategic Partnership Action Plan for the period 2023-2027 was adopted and a 10 billion euros investment package under the Global Gateway Initiative was announced. Among the major projects is the production of sustainable energy in Indonesia as part of the just energy transition partnership, launched on the margins of the Group of 20 summit in Bali. The French Development Agency will contribute 500 million euros in concessional loans.
For several years, and in all the sectors mentioned, Indonesia has played a crucial role in strengthening the partnership between ASEAN and the European Union, as well as the France-ASEAN partnership. Indonesia also plays a central role in the development of ASEAN's relations with the nations of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. Recently, the organization of the "Indonesia-Pacific Development Forum" illustrated Indonesia's special role in developing actions that take into account the challenges of the Indo-Pacific region and in defining a shared agenda with the bordering nations, including France.
We are therefore convinced that the year 2023, the year of Indonesia's chairmanship of ASEAN, will provide an opportunity to further strengthen our ties. The launch of a new ASEAN/Indo-Pacific Forum, on the occasion of the ASEAN Summit next September, with events also involving economic, cultural and youth actors, will be a useful way to build on the results of the EU/Indo-Pacific Forum.
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The writer is French ambassador for the Indo-Pacific.
