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.