By: Aulia Dewi )*
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto attended the opening ceremony of the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, Philippines, as part of Indonesia’s strategic move to strengthen regional diplomacy amidst increasing global challenges. President Prabowo’s presence emphasized Indonesia’s commitment to maintaining regional stability while strengthening ASEAN’s position as a resilient region facing global economic and geopolitical pressures.
Upon arrival at the event, President Prabowo was greeted by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Marie Louise Cacho Araneta Marcos. This warm welcome demonstrated the strong bilateral relationship between Indonesia and the Philippines, which has long been a key pillar of cooperation in Southeast Asia.
This year’s ASEAN Summit took place amidst global uncertainty. Geopolitical conflicts in various regions, international economic pressures, and challenges to energy and food security were key issues discussed by ASEAN leaders. In his opening remarks, President Marcos Jr. emphasized the importance of maintaining dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect as the foundations of ASEAN.
The Philippine President assessed that the presence of the leaders of member states reflected a collective commitment to maintaining regional unity. He also emphasized that ASEAN’s history has shown that facing major challenges actually strengthens solidarity among Southeast Asian nations. According to Marcos Jr., ASEAN’s strength does not arise from uniformity, but from the ability of all member states to maintain unity amidst diversity.
Indonesia’s active participation in the 48th ASEAN Summit is considered a crucial step in ensuring ASEAN remains a center for peaceful, stable, and resilient economic growth. Indonesia continues to demonstrate its strategic role as an anchor of regional stability through diplomacy that prioritizes collaboration and joint solutions.
In a series of BIMP-EAGA forums, part of the ASEAN Summit, President Prabowo highlighted the importance of strengthening regional cooperation to face increasingly complex global pressures. The President assessed that current global challenges demand closer and more effective collaboration so that the ASEAN region can maintain economic stability and the well-being of its people.
President Prabowo also paid close attention to the issue of energy security, which is now a pressing challenge for the region. According to the Head of State, increasing global pressure and geopolitical instability in the Middle East mean that energy issues can no longer be viewed as a long-term issue.
In the President’s view, the BIMP-EAGA region holds enormous potential for developing renewable energy, including hydropower, solar power, and wind power, as well as optimizing underutilized fertile land. Therefore, Indonesia is encouraging ASEAN countries to take concrete steps to accelerate the region’s energy transition.
President Prabowo also emphasized the importance of developing clean energy projects across ASEAN, including hydropower development in Borneo, solar energy projects in Palawan, and wind energy in coastal areas. Indonesia itself is currently accelerating national solar energy development as part of its strategy to strengthen national and regional energy security.
In addition to energy development, President Prabowo also highlighted the importance of strengthening subregional connectivity, including increasing the capacity of the Trans Borneo Power Grid. According to the President, strong energy connectivity will support more efficient energy distribution and strengthen ASEAN regional economic integration.
The Head of State also assessed that the entire agenda for strengthening regional energy requires financial support, technical expertise, and closer strategic partnerships with regional development partners. With such support, ASEAN is believed to be able to accelerate a sustainable and inclusive energy transformation.
In addition to energy security, President Prabowo emphasized that food security is also a fundamental issue that must be a shared concern for ASEAN countries. According to the President, food stability is directly linked to the well-being of the people and the region’s social resilience.
The Indonesian government views ASEAN’s future as being determined not only by economic growth alone, but also by the region’s ability to maintain social stability, energy resilience, and food security amidst rapid global change.
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Spokesperson Dwi Anggia stated that Indonesia’s participation in the 48th ASEAN Summit is a strategic step to strengthen energy collaboration among member countries. The Indonesian government continues to encourage strengthening energy connectivity, diversifying supplies, and accelerating the sustainable energy transition to maintain regional energy security.
According to Dwi Anggia, regional solidarity is a crucial factor in addressing global geopolitical uncertainty that could impact energy supply chains and economic growth in Southeast Asia. Therefore, Indonesia continues to encourage ASEAN to remain solid and adaptive in facing various international challenges.
Through President Prabowo’s attendance at the 2026 ASEAN Summit in the Philippines, Indonesia again demonstrates its commitment to strengthening regional diplomacy, maintaining regional stability, and building closer cooperation to address increasingly complex global dynamics.
Amidst increasing global competition and changes in international geopolitics, Indonesia’s active participation in ASEAN forums is also considered crucial to maintaining the region’s relevance in the world arena. The Indonesian government continues to encourage ASEAN to serve not only as a forum for political dialogue but also as a forum for providing concrete solutions for the community through cooperation on the economy, energy, food, and sustainable development.
*) Geopolitical Analyst