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The APEC Summit: Prabowo’s global debut as president
While the heavyweights are busy exchanging barbs, Prabowo can position Indonesia as a mediator at the APEC summit.
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A sign advertising the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in seen in San Francisco, California, the United States on Nov. 8, 2023. (Reuters/CARLOS BARRIA)
J
ust about three weeks after he assumes office as Indonesia’s eighth president on Oct. 20, Prabowo Subianto will make his first global appearance when he attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit on Nov. 10-16 in Lima.
The relevance of APEC is often questioned, as it is just a non-binding organization, so why does Prabowo’s debut matter, and why should APEC remain on Indonesia’s priority list?
APEC was founded in 1989 to promote free trade and economic cooperation across 21 Pacific Rim economies. Once the darling of economic forums, APEC has lost some of its shine. Critics claim the forum has become too bureaucratic, slow and less attuned to the changing dynamics of its member economies. Sure, it talks a good game about economic integration, but when was the last time APEC made headlines for doing something worthwhile?
That said, the current and previous APEC chairs deserve applause for navigating the forum through increasingly choppy geopolitical waters, and it has been no small feat to keep things on track.
The rise of other economic groupings like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) has made some wonder if APEC is fading into irrelevance.
To further complicate things, APEC has had to deal with both economic disagreements and geopolitical tensions, from the United States-China rivalry to the impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war. Many members might start seeing it as a ceremonial talk shop, great for handshakes, less so for solutions.
But still, Prabowo will face his first key test of international diplomacy in Peru. The APEC Summit will see major powers like the US, China and Russia all in the same room, none of them exactly exchanging warm holiday greetings. This presents an opportunity for Prabowo to reveal his diplomatic prowess and stake Indonesia’s claim as a key player in Asia-Pacific affairs.
