Foreign Affairs/US-Indonesia Relations

Bolder Foreign Policy

In his inaugural speech as Foreign Minister, Sugiono Indonesia will practice a “bolder” free and active foreign policy to ensure its self-sufficiency and uphold ASEAN centrality, “Under President Prabowo’s leadership, Indonesia will put itself on the global stage in line with its stature as a great nation, as well as a trusted partner and as a good neighbor,” Sugiono told dozens of ambassadors, diplomats and the press in Central Jakarta. “Our diplomacy will not be merely responsive to crises, but must also become anticipatory, progressive and visionary. […] Diplomacy that is based on the values of our nation as contained in [the country’s ideology of] Pancasila, with Asta Cita as its strategic guidelines,” he continued. Crises like Israel’s war in Gaza, the heightening tension between rivals the United States and China, the military coup in Myanmar and the climate crisis, all present threats to Indonesia’s strategic goals, he said, further noting that “multilateralism is losing its power” and that “the global economic architecture is no longer suited to answer the challenges and the demands of our time”. The speech touched on Indonesia’s ambitions to be seen as a “respectable” country of the Global South, a prospect that can only be reached if Indonesia can realize its economic potential and implement Asta Cita, according to Sugiono. Asta Cita is Prabowo’s eight-point priority campaign platform, which includes among other goals a self-sufficient Indonesia, the continued downstreaming of the country’s critical industries, improved human resources and advancement of the green and blue economies, as well as infrastructure development. (Jakarta Post)

WTO Backs EU in Palm Oil Dispute

The World Trade Organization (WTO) largely upheld EU restrictions on palm oil in biofuels, following Indonesia’s 2019 complaint. “The panel found largely in favor of the European Union,” a Geneva-based trade official said, though it noted deficiencies in how the measures were prepared and administered. The EU Renewable Energy Directive of 2018 phased out palm oil-based biofuels by 2030, citing sustainability concerns. Palm oil, a key ingredient in many products, has been criticized for driving deforestation and species loss. Indonesia and Malaysia, the top producers, supply most of the world’s palm oil and biofuels. (Jakarta Post)

US Expands Fulbright Program

The Religious Affairs Ministry and the United States have agreed to expand access to the US’ Fulbright scholarship program for institutions and individuals under the auspices of the ministry, in an attempt to increase cultural exchanges and improve education quality in the country. Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar and US Ambassador to Indonesia Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Wednesday, promising to give opportunities for students at secondary and tertiary education institutions under the ministry, such as madrasahs and pesantren (Islamic boarding schools). Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar said the opportunity also extended to lecturers and researchers, especially religiously affiliated scholars with a particular research topic they want to pursue. “The kyai [clerics] from pesantren can even get the opportunity to conduct comparative studies to see their [Muslim] peers in the US,” said Nasaruddin at the Religious Affairs Ministry’s office in Banteng Park, Central Jakarta. In turn, the ministry also aims through the agreement to have US teachers come with the scholarship to teach at madrasahs and pesantren in Indonesia to improve the students’ English skills. “We need many native [English] speakers in our pesantren,” the minister added, highlighting the importance of English in the country’s educational system.