Indonesia’s nomination of the ASEAN Secretary-General for the 2028–2032 term presents a strategic opportunity to shape ASEAN’s institutional trajectory amid geopolitical rivalry, weakening multilateralism, and domestic political dynamics. The central challenge is identifying a candidate who is politically acceptable at home while maintaining regional credibility. Through scenario analysis…
Sports diplomacy offers Indonesia a strategic instrument to strengthen its soft power, expand international influence, and advance the Indonesia Emas 2045 vision. However, this potential remains underutilized due to institutional fragmentation and the limited integration of sports into national diplomatic strategies. This paper recommends establishing a memorandum of understanding and a joint t…
Critical minerals have become a strategic instrument of Indonesia’s economic diplomacy and national security. Despite its strong position in nickel and growing potential in copper and alumina, Indonesia remains dependent on external refining technologies, engineering capabilities, industrial equipment, and international market-access standards. This paper recommends a managed interdependence …
Changes in United States tariff policies and a US Supreme Court ruling may undermine the strategic value of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) for Indonesia, particularly its anticipated market access benefits for textiles and the electric vehicle battery sector. Additional tariffs and uncertainty over market access risk weakening Indonesia’s economic leverage and strategic autonomy. Thi…
Indonesia’s dominance in global nickel production creates a strategic opportunity to strengthen its geopolitical position, promote economic growth, and support the energy transition. However, this potential is constrained by China’s influence over the industry’s supply chain, limited technological and human-resource capabilities, and inadequate sustainability standards. This paper examine…
Global normative polarization over Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) presents Indonesia with the challenge of balancing national interests, human rights commitments, and socio-cultural values. This paper recommends institutionalizing gender mainstreaming in foreign policy, strengthening Indonesia’s soft power through GEWE initiatives, and enhancing its role as a middle-power no…
Indonesia’s energy transition faces the challenge of balancing accelerated decarbonization, economic growth, and energy sovereignty. Limited JETP disbursement and demands for rapid coal retirement risk industrial stagnation and dependence on non-concessional debt. This paper recommends an Active Hedging strategy that leverages the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) as a technological and fin…
The governance of diplomatic vehicle facilities in Indonesia faces institutional fragmentation and inconsistent administrative practices that may undermine diplomatic credibility, reciprocity, and domestic accountability. This paper recommends an integrated governance framework encompassing digital system development, stronger Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordination, reciprocity mechanisms, en…
Increasing geopolitical uncertainty, armed conflicts, disasters, and cyber threats require more structured preparedness across Indonesia’s 132 overseas missions. The absence of an integrated contingency planning system risks undermining citizen protection, personnel safety, and diplomatic continuity during crises. This paper recommends a mandatory Integrated Contingency Planning Framework (IC…
Global information fragmentation and increasing digital crises require more adaptive diplomacy through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). This paper proposes a strategy to strengthen diplomatic resilience through four pillars: human validation of AI outputs, improved AI literacy among diplomats, international interoperability standards, and transparency in technology use. The strategy pri…