Indonesia’s Success in the 2023 ASEAN Chair to Promote Regional Economic Stability and Growth

After successfully holding the G20 Presidency, Indonesia is returning to take international leadership by holding the ASEAN 2023 chairmanship. The chairmanship was handed over from Cambodia to Indonesia at the 41st ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh in November 2022.

Opened on September 5 2023, and closed on September 7 2023, Jakarta witnessed the closing of the 43rd ASEAN Summit which reflected the spirit of unity and solidarity among countries in the Southeast Asia region.

The President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo at the closing said that during the implementation of the 43rd ASEAN Summit, 12 meetings had been held resulting in 90 outcome documents and a number of concrete agreements with partners. The representation of optimism during the meeting fostered enthusiasm and hope to realize ASEAN as a peaceful, stable and prosperous region.

President Joko Widodo also invited the ASEAN extended family to strengthen the Indo-Pacific region as a theater of peace and inclusiveness, so that it becomes a key foundation for ASEAN to be better for the people and the world. As the essence established by the Indonesian Chairmanship is to make ASEAN Matters the Epicentrum of Growth, President Joko Widodo emphasized that cooperation must continue by navigating challenges into opportunities, rivalry into collaboration, exclusivity into inclusivity, and navigating differences into unity.

With the closing of the 43rd ASEAN Summit, Indonesia handed over leadership to Laos. This moment was marked by President Joko Widodo who officially gave the gavel to the Prime Minister (PM) of Laos Sonexay Siphandone.

The Prime Minister of Laos, Sonexay Siphandone, also expressed his highest appreciation for the Indonesian leadership. The PM of Laos congratulated President Joko Widodo on the success of the 43rd ASEAN Summit.

Laos is honored to be able to assume the Chair of ASEAN in 2024 with the belief that it will increase connectivity, narrow development inequality, promote carbon neutrality, foster digital transformation, and integrate education. Laos was also inspired to continue working with ASEAN member countries and partners in making the 2024 ASEAN Chairmanship a success.

After the 43rd ASEAN Summit officially closed, President Joko Widodo reminded again that each leader present had a shared responsibility not to create new tensions, and at the same time was also responsible for reducing hot tensions, melting the frozen atmosphere and creating space. dialog.

The success of Indonesia’s Chairmanship has simultaneously provided opportunities and demonstrated Indonesia’s strategic role in strengthening ASEAN’s institutional capacity and capability, especially in forming a regional order based on multilateralism and the values ​​of inclusiveness.

As President Joko Widodo emphasized that the world needs a neutralizer, it is certain that ASEAN is on the right track to be able to maintain its role as a contributor to stability and peace as well as the epicenter of growth . After going through a long and difficult process, Indonesia and the ASEAN extended family succeeded in agreeing on the East Leader Joint Statement regarding the Epicentrum of Growth, which was not an easy process, because the geopolitical tug-of-war was very strong, but in the end a consensus was reached.

Indonesia has shown its commitment to support the realization of joint efforts in making ASEAN a more adaptive, responsive and competitive organization by participating in upholding international law and maintaining its unity. has led the establishment of the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP) which was adopted by ASEAN in 2019 as an affirmation of ASEAN’s centrality.

Regarding Myanmar, ASEAN will continue its efforts, Indonesia through its chairmanship has submitted 5 steps to assist Myanmar, one of which is through the establishment of the Troika mechanism. Troika is a three-party leadership consisting of the country currently holding the chairmanship (Indonesia), the country holding the previous chairmanship (Cambodia), and the country that will hold the next chairmanship (Laos). This is to ensure the continuity of the handling of problems in Myanmar.

Previously, President Jokowi, at the opening of the ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, firmly stated that as a member of the family and as Chair of ASEAN, ASEAN unity has been well maintained. For President Jokowi, the concept of unity in the Indonesian context is about creating harmony in diversity, including differences of opinion. According to him, differences of opinion actually enrich democracy and show that all of us in the ASEAN family have the same position. This principle of equality is the main value that must be respected and maintained together in order to strengthen unity and solidarity, so that ASEAN can continue to move forward like a big ship that keeps on going.

Not only the big ASEAN family, ASEAN also maintains cooperation with good and optimal mechanisms. Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi conveyed the results of the ASEAN Plus Three Summit, the United States, Canada with messages conveyed by the Leaders, including that the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit entered its 26th year and all agreed to strengthen cooperation in future economic sectors such as digital transformation, electric vehicles, and green economy.

Countries in the ASEAN Plus Three group, which includes Japan, South Korea and China, have also firmly demonstrated their support for ASEAN’s central role and the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) Action Plan. Leaders from the ASEAN Plus Three group also agreed that it was important to resolve differences in a peaceful manner to ensure the continuation of a conducive and safe situation.

Indonesia is determined to direct ASEAN cooperation in 2023 to continue and strengthen ASEAN’s relevance in responding to regional and global challenges, as well as strengthening ASEAN’s position as the center of regional economic growth, for the prosperity of the people in Southeast Asia.

The closing of the 43rd ASEAN Summit reflects the importance of multilateral diplomacy in addressing increasingly complex global issues. Cooperation between countries and dialogue partners in this forum is an important milestone in facing common global challenges.