Hope on Biden-Harris
The world has just witnessed the inauguration of Joseph Biden Jr as the 46th president of the United States and Kamala Harris as vice president on 20 January 2021.
The world has just witnessed the inauguration of Joseph Biden Jr as the 46th president of the United States and Kamala Harris as vice president on 20 January 2021. There is optimism and hope that the new US administration will be able to make the US part of the world\'s solution to various challenges, including challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic. A Morning Consult survey stated that Biden\'s election had increased the positive perception of the United States in a number of countries.
This hope is certainly not too much in the midst of two major challenges facing the world today. The challenges are, first, how the world can get out of the pandemic and accelerate economic recovery together. Second, how in the midst of a pandemic, all countries remain committed to maintaining global peace and stability and lowering tension and rivalry as well.
America and the world
For Indonesia, every country, including the US, must be part of the solution to the world\'s challenges. In this regard, there are three things that Indonesia hopes from the Biden administration for a more peaceful, safer and more prosperous world.
First, recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and multilateralism. Multilateralism is not a perfect system, but it is still the best option, in which all countries across the world feel becoming part of it. The decline of multilateralism will trigger more and more unilateralism by big countries which is very detrimental to many countries.
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At the same time, we also see many countries’ trust in multilateralism continues to decline because they consider it (multilateralism) not functioning as expected. A Pew Research Center survey in mid 2020 showed that only 51 percent of respondents in 14 countries saw the United Nations (UN) as effective in dealing with global problems.
Thus, what is needed now is to make multilateralism beneficial to all. Especially during this pandemic, the global community desperately needs a spirit of collaboration and strong global collective leadership. Solidarity is urgently needed, including in dealing with the issue of Covid-19 vaccine.In recent days, both the UN Secretary-General and the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) have continued to raise concerns about vaccine nationalism, in which the rich countries have secured billions of doses of vaccine, while many developing or less developed countries find difficulty in accessing vaccine.
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If this trend continues, it is certain that the world will not be able to get out of this pandemic together and it will actually cause economic losses to the developed countries amounting to US$119 billion per year. Therefore, the world expects US leadership to strengthen multilateralism that is beneficial to the world, including making the United Nations more responsive and effective and strengthening WHO in the midst of this extraordinary pandemic challenge.
Second, maintaining peace and stability at international and regional levels. In recent years, the world has seen a growing vulnerability of world peace and stability. Increased tensions are everywhere, in part due to the strengthening of rivalries between the great powers and violations of international law.
In conflict-affected countries, vulnerability has shown an increase and a slowdown in the peace process occur during the pandemic. In the midst of such situation, the international community hopes that the US can become the engine for the creation of a world that is safer, more peaceful and stable. Unilateral actions and solutions that are inconsistent with international law must be avoided. Peaceful conflict resolution must always be put forward.
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Indonesia hopes for a positive contribution from the US towards the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli issue in a just manner. The US needs concrete support so that peace negotiations can continue. The final solution must of course refer to various UN resolutions as well as agreed international parameters, including the two-state solution.
Indonesia is also ready to work with the US to support a sustainable and inclusive peace process in Afghanistan. The positive momentum resulting from the ongoing peace process needs to be sustained. The Indonesia-US collaboration on the issue of women\'s empowerment in Afghanistan needs to be continued. Indonesia does not want to see a decline in the role of women in Afghanistan as a result of this peace process.
In the Southeast Asia region and beyond, for more than 50 years, ASEAN has been the main motor for the realization of stability and peace. It is important for the US to enhance strategic partnerships with ASEAN and strengthen ASEAN centrality. This region, including the South China Sea, will remain stable and peaceful if all countries respect international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS. Strong partnerships are also expected in the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, which is open and promotes dialogue and cooperation.
Third, the development of a strong and sustainable world economic order. The challenges of the post-pandemic economic recovery become the challenges for all countries across the world. After experiencing a contraction of 4.3 percent in 2020, the World Bank predicts that the world economy will grow 4 percent in 2021. The achievement of this projection will, among other things, be determined by how quickly the pandemic is handled and the vaccination program is implemented.
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US leadership is highly expected in the efforts to recover the world economy. A global trading system that is open, fair and mutually beneficial is the hope of all countries. The politicization of the World Trade Organization (WTO) must be avoided.
It is predicted that the issue of environmental protection in economy will become the attention of the Biden administration. It is undeniable that the green economy will increasingly become an option. According to the World Economic Forum, green economy could open up business opportunities of US$10.1 trillion and 395 million new jobs by 2030.
President Biden himself has conveyed a plan to end carbon emissions, including through an allocation of US$2 trillion for the clean energy sector.
What we also want to see is the US commitment in fulfilling the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs). The pandemic has slowed the progress of the 2030 SDGs achievement, especially in the developing countries and in less developed countries. Without a strong global leadership, it will be difficult to achieve the SDGs target.
The right of every country to carry out development must also be guaranteed. Only by paying attention to these matters, sustainable and inclusive economic growth will be achieved.
Indonesia-US Bilateral Relations
Indonesia-US has had a strategic partnership since 2015. This partnership must be used as an asset to build mutually respectful and mutually beneficial cooperation. Another bilateral asset is the shared values that the two countries have, ranging from democracy, development to respect for human rights and international law.
There are at least several priorities that Indonesia wants to develop with the new US administration. First, strengthening economic cooperation and sustainable development. At the end of October 2020, the US has extended the provision of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) facilities for Indonesia. The implementation of this GSP needs to be strengthened because it not only benefits Indonesia, but also benefits the US. In January-August 2020, the value of Indonesian exports using the GSP facility was recorded at US$1.87 billion, an increase of 10.6 percent compared to the same period in 2019.
Indonesia-US has had a strategic partnership since 2015. This partnership must be used as an asset to build mutually respectful and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Indonesia will also continue to encourage the formation of a Limited Trade Deal (LTD). This agreement has the potential to boost trade volume between the two countries by up to US$60 billion in the next few years.
The US also continues to be Indonesia\'s main traditional investment partner. The Job Creation Law is expected to create conducive conditions for increasing mutually beneficial investment cooperation, especially in priority sectors, such as infrastructure, connectivity and renewable energy.
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Second, developing resilience and independence of national and regional health. Pandemics teach the world many lessons. Indonesia has recognized the importance of strengthening the infrastructure for national health resilience and independence.
In July 2020, USAID and Bappenas signed a Bilateral Development Cooperation Framework (BDCF) worth US$650 million, including for the development of public health amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Indonesia hopes to have a partnership with the US to support national health resilience, among others through developing the independence of pharmaceutical raw materials industry, the pharmaceutical industry, medical devices, cooperation in developing health research and technology, as well as developing early warning mechanisms in the health sector.
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The national health resilience in every country across the world is needed to deal with the upcoming pandemic. The world resilience will depend on the health resilience of each country.
Apart from these two priorities, there is also issue of cross-border defense and security cooperation, including in dealing with the threat of terrorism.
Together, Indonesia and the US represent more than 25 percent of the world\'s economy and nearly 8 percent of the world\'s population. Stronger cooperation between Indonesia and the US will not only have a positive impact on both countries, but also on the region and the world.
In short, the world has high hopes on the US new administration. Congratulations again to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Let us work together for the prosperity of our people and a better world for all.
Retno LP Marsudi, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia.
This article was translated by Kurniawan H. Siswoko.