Indonesia’s 2023 Chairmanship Encourages Blue Economy Optimization and ASEAN Growth Epicenter
By : Ananda Prameswari )*
In 2023 Indonesia is again entrusted with holding an international event. Indonesia has a turn to become chairman of the ASEAN Summit and raises the theme “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”. The theme of the 2023 ASEAN Summit shows that ASEAN is confident of becoming one of the centers of world economic growth, even though internally it continues to face economic, social, political and security problems.
In the past, economic issues were known as a theme that was often chosen by small countries in ASEAN due to domestic demands for increased business activity, investment and the economy as a whole. As individual countries, ASEAN faces problems of differences in economic, social and political conditions.
ASEAN-5 is often referred to as ASEAN developed countries, namely Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and currently including Vietnam. These countries are called countries that are relatively advanced economically, open, democratic and inclusive. Other countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and East Timor are economically underdeveloped, dependent, somewhat closed and have serious domestic political problems. This difference forces several economic and regional programs to pay attention to common interests.
President Joko Widodo said Indonesia would make ASEAN the epicenter of growth and become a peaceful region as well as an anchor for global stability. According to the President, ASEAN must become a dignified region by upholding human and democratic values and should not lead the current geopolitical dynamics that have joined into a new cold war in our region.
ASEAN must also become a region with inclusive and sustainable economic growth. The President said economic growth has been and will always be ASEAN’s story. ASEAN’s capacity must also be strengthened to respond to the challenges of the next 20 years to be more adaptive, responsive and competitive.
The aim of appointing ASEAN as a “growth epicenter” is for ASEAN to play a bigger role on the global stage, while reaffirming its bargaining position and fully recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic. From this point of view, the choice of theme is appropriate to secure ASEAN’s position on the global stage.
“ASEAN Matters” means that Indonesia wants to make ASEAN remain important and relevant to the ASEAN community and the world. ASEAN plays an important role, not only for countries in the region, but also for the world. Both play a central role as the engine of peace and prosperity in the region. In addition, Indonesia is also determined to guide towards ASEAN 2045 which needs to always be more adaptive, responsive and competitive. Everything must be fought for in the “ASEAN way ” which is in line with the spirit of cooperation and the implementation of the principles of the ASEAN Charter.
ASEAN’s economic growth is almost always above the world average. Meanwhile, to support sustainable growth, cooperation in ASEAN will continue to be improved, particularly in the areas of food security, energy security, health and financial stabilization. It is time for ASEAN to reaffirm its role as the epicenter of growth.
Meanwhile, through the 2023 ASEAN Chair which carries the theme ” Epicentrum of Growth” , the ASEAN region with its various advantages is expected to become the anchor of global stability and the center of global growth in the future, including the blue economy. For this reason, the 2023 ASEAN Indonesia Chair has raised the ASEAN Blue Economy Framework as one of the top priorities in the economic field.
The framework aims to support sustainable economic development in the region as well as support the sustainability initiatives of the ASEAN Economic Community. The framework will also strengthen ASEAN’s commitment to lead regional cooperation on the Blue Economy which focuses on value creation , inclusiveness and sustainability as key elements.
Given the strategic environment full of competing interests, it is important for ASEAN to remain open to external dynamics while maintaining its centrality and unity. Indonesia’s initiatives in the Indo-Pacific must be aligned with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), including in the blue economy sector, which is expected to attract external interest along with developments.
The development of the ASEAN Blue Economy Framework is also considered to be aligned with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) which was agreed in 2019. AOIP has provided a platform at the regional level to strengthen cooperation in the areas of maritime and sustainable development, while navigating ASEAN’s global position amidst geopolitical waves in the Indo-Pacific.
Chair of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Arsjad Rasjid also emphasized that the connectivity gap between regions in ASEAN is a challenge that must be resolved and cooperation between the government and the private sector is encouraged to build sustainable industrial and economic growth.
)* The author is a Media Room Contributor
