Foreign Policies in 2017 and Challenges in 2018
What are the achievements of Indonesia\'s foreign policies in 2017? Following that, what challenges will its foreign policies face in 2018?
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We are closing 2017 and entering 2018. In the context of the implementation of Indonesia’s foreign policies, we stand between various achievements made in 2017 and the challenges we will be facing in 2018.
What are the achievements of Indonesia’s foreign policies in 2017? Following that, what challenges will its foreign policies face in 2018?
2017 achievements
In 2017, the country has carried out a number of important things. First, the country took part in encouraging and supporting ASEAN in its 50th year, especially in contributing to maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia. Indonesia cooperated with nine other ASEAN countries to encourage all parties with an in the Asia-Pacific to contribute positively toward peace and stability in the South China Sea, to uphold the centrality and unity of ASEAN and maintain the ASEAN community.
Second, it cooperated with ASEAN countries to combat extremism and terrorism in Southeast Asia with respect to the rising presence of the Islamic State (IS) in Maute, the Philippines. In June 2017, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines jointly maintained security in Sulu and Sulawesi waters within the framework of fighting terrorism in Southeast Asia. Specifically, the three countries’ armed forces established command posts in Tarakan (Indonesia), Tawau (Malaysia), and Bongao (the Philippines) to monitor the movement of militants and foreign nationals entering or departing Marawi, the southern Philippines.
Third, the country took active diplomatic steps to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine, Myanmar. Indonesia proposed and pushed for a 4+1 formula as a solution to the Myanmar crisis. The formula consists of reinstating stability and security, self-restraint and non-use of violence, protection for all Myanmarese citizens regardless of their religion, and opening access to humanitarian assistance and development for all victims. Indonesia approached Myanmar constructively in order to encourage that country to mitigate the crisis in its territory and open access to humanitarian aid. Indonesia also approached Bangladesh to ask for its protection of all Rakhine refugees who had fled to that country.
Indonesia needs to freely and actively carry out its foreign policies by encouraging the ASEAN unity and maintaining its centrality.
Fourth, Indonesia was active in both regional and international forums on various issues. It hosted the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Summit. At the March 5-7 IORA Summit, the country urged IORA states to approve the Jakarta Agreement, which includes various fields. It also encouraged IORA as a liaison to fill the vacuum of cooperation and networking between the evolving Asia-Pacific regional architecture and the as yet nonoptimal cooperation with Indian Ocean nations.
On Dec. 7-8, Indonesia hosted the 10th Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) held in Tangerang, Banten. It raised the theme of “Does democracy deliver?” teh BDF is an interstate cooperation forum that aims to bring forth peace, democracy and moderation through exchanging thoughts and experiences among government and civil society in the Asia-Pacific and the world across various fields.
Since the recent policy of US President Donald Trump on the status of Jerusalem in early December, Indonesia brought the issues on Jerusalem and Palestine to the extraordinary summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Turkey on Dec. 13, and to the United Nations Security Council session.
2018 challenges
In 2018, Indonesia’s foreign policies will face various challenges.
First is the competition of big countries in the South China Sea and the uncertain situation on the Korean Peninsula. Indonesia needs to freely and actively carry out its foreign policies by encouraging the ASEAN unity and maintaining its centrality. The country’s aim is to maintain peace on the South China Sea issue, defuse the crisis on the Korean Peninsula, and maintain economic growth in Southeast Asia.
Second is the increasing activities of global terrorism that are hitting Southeast Asia. Indonesia needs to take an active role in eradicating extremism and terrorism in Southeast Asia, as the crisis in Marawi, the Philippines, is a concrete example of the regional presence of IS. Cooperation between Indonesia and ASEAN countries and ASEAN partner countries needs to be intensified and strengthened within the framework of preventing the growth of extremism and eradicating acts of terror.
The implementation of US political and economic policies that pushes US interests will have an impact on various cooperation and the global situation.
Third is the uncertainty in world politics and the world economy, from bilateral and regional multilateral cooperation, to the global situation. The implementation of US political and economic policies that pushes US interests will have an impact on various cooperation and the global situation. The US’s tightening regulations and increased import duties, the US withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the US’s weakening attention to the Doha Development Agenda and Dispute Settlement Body/The Appellate Body in the World Trade Organization, the US’s encouragement to revise the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and President Trump’s recent policy on the status of Jerusalem, are some of the global challenges which need to be anticipated by countries and regional/international organizations in the world, including Indonesia.
It cannot be denied that the US economy has been the world’s biggest economy from the 20th century to the present. According to World Bank data, the US controlled more than 24 percent of the world gross domestic product in 2016. In 2016, the US was Indonesia’s biggest export destination with a trade value of US$15.68 billion. Even though China replaced the US as the largest export destination in the January-October period, with a value of US$16.9 billion, the US as a destination for Indonesian exports remained significant, because it was still the second biggest destination with a total value of US$14.2 billion.
Indonesia needs to anticipate these various changes by optimizing its economic diplomacy, such as opening new markets in Africa and Latin America as well as improving economic cooperation among the southern countries. Hopefully, the government and the citizens of Indonesia will respond effectively to the various political challenges in 2018.
BEGINDA PAKPAHAN
Analyst of global politics and economy at the University of Indonesia
