ASEAN Matters

Indonesia's chairmanship is carried out at a time when the world is becoming increasingly complex. From a geopolitical and economic standpoint, the world is experiencing multi-dimensional challenges. Great power rivalries remain sharp. As such, these great power rivalries need to be managed so that open conflicts and new wars do not arise. The same also applies for the Indo-Pacific Region, where Southeast Asia lies at the centre of these dynamics.

Indonesia's chairmanship in ASEAN focuses on making ASEAN a stable and peaceful region; as the anchor of world stability. For that purpose, ASEAN must consistently uphold international law and not become a proxy for anyone. ASEAN must maintain its internal peace in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region. ASEAN must also become a dignified region that upholds human values and democracy. All of this can only happen if ASEAN continues to strengthen its centrality.

Indonesia's ASEAN Chairmanship will focus on how to strengthen ASEAN to become a fast-growing, inclusive, and sustainable economic region. To that end, ASEAN must build a solid regional health architecture, maintain food and energy security, and maintain financial stability.

Indonesia also aims to strengthen ASEAN’s capacity and institutional effectiveness to be able to respond to the challenges of the next 20 years. Indonesia aims to gear towards ASEAN 2045, which must be more adaptive, responsive, and competitive. All of this must be fought for in the ASEAN way, consistent with the spirit of cooperation and fully implementing the ASEAN Charter.

Indonesia aims for ASEAN to remain essential and relevant to make ASEAN Matter. An ASEAN that matters and is deeply relevant for its people, the Indo-Pacific region, and the world.

Epicentrum of Growth

The IMF projection states that global economic growth in 2023 is estimated at 2.7%, decreasing compared to 3.2% (2022) and 6% (2021). The threat of recession is still looming. Meanwhile, a wave of layoffs has coloured the current economic conditions and is predicted to continue. Although the global economy is projected to  decline, economic growth in the Southeast Asian region remains above the world's average growth. 

In the past decade, ASEAN's average annual growth reached 3.98%, above the global economic growth average of 2.6%. The projected increase in the ASEAN region in 2022 is 5.1%. This is a positive trend that Indonesia's Chairmanship seeks to maintain. In addition, it is hoped that ASEAN's macroeconomic assumptions can be realised through prosperity that can directly benefit the people of ASEAN.

Indonesia’s Chairmanship also provides an opportunity for ASEAN to play an active role, offering ideas and solutions for the benefit of peace and prosperity in the region. To that end, Indonesia as Chair aims to strengthen economic recovery and make Southeast Asia the world's engine of sustainable growth. Indonesia will play an important role in managing ASEAN cooperation as the 5^th largest economy in the world with a value of 3.3 trillion USD, which also involves ASEAN partner economies worth 84.6 trillion USD (2021).

It is time for us to reaffirm the Southeast Asia Region as a centre of growth; an epicentrum of growth. 

[to be announced]