ASEAN Needs a Comprehensive Approach to Remain Dynamic and Resilient

JAKARTA - The comprehensive approach of ASEAN is one of the things that will be encouraged by Indonesia in the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Post-Ministerial Conferences (AMM/PMC ke-59) in Manila, Philippines this week, in addition to continuous engagement with Myanmar, and maintaining the centrality of ASEAN.

This was said by the Director General of ASEAN Cooperation of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ina Hagniningtyas Krisnamurthi, ahead of the AMM/PMC meeting which will begin tomorrow.

Speaking when met by the media at the Indonesian Embassy in Manila, Ambassador Ina emphasized that Indonesia wants continuous engagement between ASEAN and Myanmar.

Since the latest internal conflict broke out in 2021, Myanmar has practically only been represented by non-political representatives in important ASEAN meetings. However, since 2021 ASEAN also has a Special Envoy for Myanmar, which is held in turn by the country that holds the ASEAN Chairmanship.

"Engagement must be ensured, we encourage continuous engagement, both trilaterally, as well as concern parties or ASEAN as a whole," he explained, as quoted, Monday (20/7).

"We cannot just rely on the ASEAN Chair," he said.

Next, Ambassador Ina said Indonesia would encourage an ASEAN-wide approach to something that is a concern, not just based on pillars as has been the case so far.

ASEAN is known to have three pillars that are the main foundation to support the formation of the ASEAN Community, namely Politics and Security (APSC), Economy (MEA) and Social Culture (ASCC).

Ambassador Ina said, Indonesia wants ASEAN to have a comprehensive approach, no longer based on pillars, highlighting the crises faced across pillars, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis caused by the escalation in the Middle East region today.

"Think of ASEAN as a community. Because in fact, during the pandemic, the issue is health, but it is also related to economic and political security," he explained, adding that the situation caused by the Strait of Hormuz crisis is also a cross pillar.

"So it's a cross pillar whole ASEAN approach, to encourage what the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Sugiono called dynamic resilience, so we remain dynamic but remain resilient.

The last thing that is no less important is to encourage the centrality of ASEAN, related to relations with partner countries.

Ambassador Ina likened ASEAN to a "beautiful girl" where many parties want to partner with ASEAN.

According to him, this is a challenge with the current geopolitical conditions to ensure ASEAN remains the party that decides "with whom we must partner, who we want to be a comprehensive strategic partner."

This also includes regional organizations, with a number of regional organizations already interested in partnering with ASEAN.

"So what we emphasize is how ASEAN must maintain its centrality and integrity, as well as ASEAN unity," he said.