Indonesia is determined to strengthen ASEAN position as a center for regional economic growth.

COLOMBO : Indonesia is set to hold the baton for ASEAN chairmanship in 2023. Through the theme of ASEAN Chairmanship, namely: “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth,” Indonesia is determined to direct ASEAN cooperation in 2023 to continue and strengthen ASEAN’s relevance in responding to regional and global challenges, as well as to strengthen ASEAN position as a center for regional economic growth.

Economic losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,  environmental degradation face sky-rocketing prices for food and energy, are among many of the global challenges. From the pandemic to the climate emergency to the global repercussions of conflict and continued displacement and inequality, will only be solved if act together.

The cohesiveness and togetherness of ASEAN encourages ASEAN to unite to discuss and find solutions to these challenges.

From the theme under Indonesia Chairmanship, there are three main pillars, namely: “ASEAN Matters,”; “Epicentrum of Growth,” and “Implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific.”

With the “ASEAN Matters,” Indonesia and other ASEAN Countries intent to make ASEAN remain essential and relevant to the people of ASEAN and beyond, and ASEAN unity is vital to continue to maintain so that ASEAN can continue to play its central role in maintaining regional peace and stability.

“Epicentrum of Growth” reflects that ASEAN has significant assets, namely a large population and economic growth that is almost always above the average world economic growth, and ASEAN must continue to be a center for economic growth that is inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.

With the “Implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific,” Indonesia and other ASEAN Countries will also continue to build inclusive regional architecture in the Indo-Pacific through concrete AOIP cooperation with ASEAN external relations, particularly in the areas of maritime cooperation, connectivity, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and economic cooperation.

The principle of complementarity for many existing collaborations makes the AOIP concept compatible with the development of international dynamics by not taking sides with one of the world’s directions.

Overall, the spirit of the theme has also set the foundation for the development of ASEAN Vision 2045. ASEAN is one of the world’s economic success stories with even more enormous potential. With a combined population of over 670 million people, approximately 8.8% of the world population, ASEAN is the 3rd largest market globally.

The ASEAN Heads of Missions Activities in Sri Lanka

Meanwhile, ASEAN Missions in Sri Lanka have carried out several activities involving various stakeholders.

Just recently on the 8 August 2023, five of ASEAN Heads of Missions in Sri Lanka (Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam) hosted the commemoration of the 56^th of ASEAN Day at the Indonesian Embassy in Colombo.

President of the Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Ranil Wickremesinghe attended the event as Chief Guest and gave keynote remarks.

In his keynote remarks, President Ranil Wickremesinghe praised the association’s remarkable growth and success as one of the world’s largest economic blocks and emphasized a new policy approach to collaborate closely with ASEAN to enhance Sri Lanka’s position in the global arena. Additionally, the President emphasized the need for unity and cooperation, especially in the face of challenges like climate change, and called for joint efforts between ASEAN countries and Sri Lanka to combat climate change and explore the potential of the blue economy.

H.E. President Ranil also mentioned Sri Lanka’s intention to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), plan to initiate negotiations for the establishment of free trade agreements with corresponding ASEAN member countries underscores the country’s determination to bolster its economic connectivity within the broader Asian region and pledged the full support of the future vision of ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and Indonesia’s maritime fulcrum concept.

On 15^th of March 2023, Heads of ASEAN Missions in Sri Lanka had a meeting with His Excellency President Ranil Wickremesinghe. This meeting gave an opportunity to the respective Envoy to discuss their bilateral relations as well as together as ASEAN.

All in all, ASEAN will continue to work with Sri Lanka to make sure Sri Lanka gains the benefit of the development of ASEAN. ASEAN shared values, principles, and interests, which include strengthening a rules-based international order to address common challenges, including economic, security, health, environmental and socio-cultural, and climate change connectivity, formed the foundation for managing relations with countries worldwide.

As the Chairman of ASEAN, Indonesia fervently hopes the partnership of ASEAN with Sri Lanka will flourish and continue to grow over the years and decades.

THE 30^th ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM

The Meeting was attended by the Foreign Ministers and Representatives of ARF Participants and the Secretary-General of ASEAN.

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E Ali Sabry took part in the 30th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting on July 14, 2023.

In her opening remarks, Foreign Minister H.E Retno L.P Marsudi underlined some key points as follows:

•  The ARF must have a preventive diplomacy role to maintain peace and prevent conflicts in the region.

•  The potential for conflict stemming from territorial disputes and ethnic conflicts, and the challenge has become more complex with the emergence of non-traditional security issues such as terrorism, human trafficking, and maritime piracy.

•  The need to build cooperation that directly benefits the people in the region. For this reason, Indonesia continues to encourage concrete cooperation in the vision of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.

•  It is time for the ARF to transform to the next stage to become a preventive diplomacy mechanism that is more responsive in facing security challenges in the region.

The Chairman’s Statement of the 30^th ASEAN Regional Forum mentioned that the Meeting envisaged a strengthened ASEAN in accordance with the purposes and principles of the ASEAN Charter that is able to implement the ASEAN Charter in its entirety and navigate geopolitical dynamics in the region while maintaining its unity and Centrality. The Meeting was also determined to build a resilient economic architecture serving as the centre of regional economic growth and an engine for global growth through robust cooperation. In this regard, the Meeting supported Indonesia’s Key Deliverables under the theme of “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”.

The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) was established in 1994 to shape the post-Cold War regional security architecture through confidence building measures that promote dialogue and consultation. The ARF consists of 28 countries, namely 10 ASEAN countries plus Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, North Korea, the European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Russia, Sri Lanka, the United States, Vietnam, and East Timor.

Sri Lanka has been a member of the ARF since 2007 and entered into the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia the same year.