With that capability and capacity, it is natural that a lot of hope is pinned on the G20 presidency. Such a capability is quite relevant to the current global situation.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
Indonesia has sufficient resources and capability to lead the Group of 20. One such asset is its good track record as a “bridge builder”. This is a valuable resource to achieve goals in the G20.
For almost two months, Indonesia has been serving as G20 president. A number of meetings, both virtual and in-person, have been held to mark the start of the country’s leadership. The diplomatic meetings and work will culminate when a summit meeting is held in October or November. At that time, Indonesia's presidency of the G20 will be judged either a success or failure by the world.
It is interesting to note the perspective of former foreign minister Marty Natalegawa, which formed part of a series of reports on Indonesia’s G20 presidency published in this newspaper from Saturday to Tuesday (15-18/1/2022).
He mentioned the differences in the roles of chairmanship and leadership in the context of the G20. The role of the chairman is focused more on procedural aspects, such as hosting and organizing meetings, while the leadership position demands more than that.
Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro (KUM)
President Joko Widodo was the keynote speaker at the 12th Kompas100 CEO Forum by East Ventures event at the State Palace, Jakarta, Thursday (18/11/2021). The President conveyed a number of achievements in handling Covid-19, a number of agreements at the G20 Summit forum, the development of environmentally friendly energy, and restrictions and cessation of exports of raw mining products.
There is an expectation that when Indonesia holds the G20 presidency, it will not only act as a chair but also as a leader. As a leader, of course, it will have to take more roles and responsibilities while holding the G20 presidency. According to Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto, Indonesia should be able to "determine the direction of the world going forward".
However, are Indonesia’s capability and capacity sufficient to achieve such an ambitious goal? Based on its track record and diplomatic achievement, many parties are optimistic about Indonesia's capabilities. One of its most prominent roles is its track record as a bridge builder for the different interests of many countries. This track record can be seen from its leadership at the regional and international level in ASEAN, the Nonaligned Movement, the United Nations (UN) Security Council and the Asia-Africa Conference.
The recognition of the capacity of Indonesia, which in the international diplomacy arena is often classified as a middle power country, also came from international media. In the editorial of the special report for the 75th anniversary of the United Nations 2020, The Economist magazine called Indonesia a middle power country that was on the rise and must come forward to save the world order, along with other middle powers, such as India, Japan and Germany.
With that capability and capacity, it is natural that a lot of hope is pinned on the G20 presidency. Such a capability is quite relevant to the current global situation. The world is faced with a major power struggle, as seen at the G20. Indonesia's effort to fight for national interests, while framing the interests of many countries, to find common solutions, is not an easy task. Don't forget, there is also a hope that Indonesia will be able to bridge the interests of poor and developing countries with those of developed countries.
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
