ASEAN Has Challenges To Maintain Unity And Sentrality

DOCUMENTATION / Flag of member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Timor Leste at the 42nd ASEAN Summit, Labuan Bajo, NTT

JAKARTA - The Director General for ASEAN Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro, said ASEAN has a challenge to maintain the unity and centrality of the region.

"It is a challenge for the region (ASEAN) to maintain its unity and centrality, including unity which must be based on a shared identity", said Sidharto at the 2023 ASEAN Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue Conference (ASEAN IIDC) in Jakarta reported by ANTARA, Monday, August 8.

According to him, ASEAN has the need to create an identity based on history, while at the same time, this identity is also created based on the desire not to repeat the trauma of the Cold War.

Because of that, Sidharto said that ASEAN still has a desire to remain united regardless of the geopolitical situation and geostrategic dynamics that occur in the region.

"And going forward, it is the nature of geography that will determine Southeast Asian countries to form, at least as I hope, their own maritime governance to govern the waterfront", said Sidharto.

Sidharto said, ASEAN has the possibility to be able to develop to help other big countries to be able to find alternative places where they can operate.

"This (place) is where you are not forced to choose A or B, but you have alternative (choices)", said Sidharto.

The Director General for ASEAN Cooperation Sidharto R. Suryodipuro was present as a panelist for the ASEAN IIDC 2023 discussion session on "Preserving and strengthening a rules-based international order built on universal ethics and human values."

Other panelists present at the discussion session were Advisor for Humanitarian Fraternity to the President of Timor-Leste Martinho G. da Silva Gusmao and Chair of the Chisty Foundation from India Sheikh Syed Salman Chisty.

The ASEAN IIDC 2023 which took place on 7-8 August 2023 was attended by interfaith leaders from the ASEAN region and was part of the ASEAN Summit.