In the 2023 ASEAN Summit, various agendas are:
This is an Indonesian initiative which has proven to have quite a lot, including discussing issues regarding the criminal act of trafficking in persons (TPPO), human rights (HAM), the environment, and even forest fires.
Yogyakarta (ANTARA) – Executive Director of the ASEAN Study Center at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Dafri Agussalim said that Indonesia still has a big opportunity to maintain the cohesiveness or cohesiveness of ASEAN countries even though in the future it will not be chairman of the organization.
“Indonesia still has the opportunity or opportunity to play a role in maintaining cohesiveness and solidarity among ASEAN countries, but this challenge is certainly not easy and requires great attention,” said Dafri at the School of Journalists entitled “Measuring Indonesia’s Position in the ASEAN Summit” at the UGM Central Building, Yogyakarta, Tuesday.
Indonesia, according to him, has become the most influential country and is heard in every agenda setting in ASEAN so it is hoped that this ability can be directed to mobilize and maintain the solidity of regional countries.
He gave an example at the 2023 ASEAN Summit, various agendas that were initiated by Indonesia were proven to be quite numerous, including discussing issues regarding the criminal act of trafficking in persons (TPPO), human rights (HAM), the environment, and even forest fires.
Apart from being one of the countries that initiated the establishment of ASEAN, according to him, Indonesia has been heard enough because many conflicts have proven to be successfully handled through Indonesian diplomacy.
“We are a founding country, but also the most important thing is that we are actually a good ‘agenda setting’ country, meaning we play a big role in determining the public agendas of the ASEAN community,” he said.
Meanwhile, according to Dafri, even though ASEAN is known as the most successful regional organization in the world, solidarity and cohesiveness within ASEAN still needs to be built.
He believes that the low level of solidarity among ASEAN countries is an obstacle in realizing joint policies ranging from the goal of becoming the center of global economic growth to resolving conflicts in the South China Sea.
According to him, there is no common view and commitment within ASEAN regarding various regional issues.
In fact, if cohesiveness and solidarity between member countries is strengthened, ASEAN will increasingly have a bargaining position against major countries in the world.
*Everyone knows that the ten ASEAN countries are in a geographically strategic position, not to mention the size of their population and economy. “This geographical advantage should be used as a bargaining power,” he said.
Therefore, Dafri said that what Indonesia should do is unite ASEAN unity first before discussing various other strategic issues.
Source: ANTARA News