Foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play an important role in humanitarian assistance, development, and policy advocacy, but their activities may also pose regulatory and national sovereignty challenges. This policy brief examines weaknesses and ambiguities in Indonesia’s legal framework governing foreign NGOs and their implications for national security and policy implementation. I…
Strategic secondment of Indonesian diplomats to international organizations can strengthen Indonesia’s multilateral influence, institutional visibility, and economic diplomacy. However, the absence of a coordinated national strategy limits the effectiveness of existing secondment efforts. Drawing on international experiences and survey findings, this policy brief highlights the benefits of st…
The establishment of Danantara in February 2025 presents an opportunity to integrate Indonesia’s investment strategy with its foreign policy objectives. Beyond optimizing state-owned enterprises and supporting long-term economic growth, Danantara can serve as an instrument of economic diplomacy to strengthen strategic autonomy and expand Indonesia’s regional and global influence. This polic…
This paper proposes strategies to enhance Indonesia’s engagement with the Pacific region to strengthen its political, economic, and sovereignty interests. Politically, engagement with Pacific countries helps Indonesia reinforce its position among developing and least developed countries (LDCs) and safeguard support for its sovereignty over Papua. Economically, government-private sector collab…
This paper presents a strategic roadmap for the comprehensive transformation of Indonesia’s physical diplomatic infrastructure as a foundation for Diplomasi Tangguh and the achievement of Golden Indonesia 2045. A disconnect exists between rapid domestic infrastructure development and the inconsistent, outdated state of Indonesia’s overseas missions. Key challenges include budgetary constrai…
This paper analyzes Kemlu’s transition from a coordinating role to a controller in Indonesia’s foreign affairs under Presidential Regulation No. 150 of 2024. President Prabowo Subianto elevated the Ministry’s influence across the national government, making it the controller of the country’s foreign affairs with functions of coordination, synchronization, and control (KORSIDAL). As cont…
This paper examines Indonesia’s energy partnerships with sub-Saharan African countries, specifically Angola, Tanzania and Namibia, with the aim of strengthening national energy resilience. Pertamina already has upstream oil and gas activities in Angola and Tanzania, and there is potential for development in Namibia. A SWOT analysis reveals that the company's strengths include the legacy of th…
This paper explores the potential of UN reform as a strategic entry point through which Indonesia could strengthen its role in multilateral diplomacy. As it approaches its 80th anniversary, the UN is facing serious challenges, including financial shortfalls, an overloaded agenda, overlapping mandates and the frequent misuse of veto power in the Security Council. Indonesia’s approach to UN ref…
This paper argues that building Indonesia’s global media presence is a strategic imperative that can support foreign policy and narrative power. Although Vision 2045 aims to establish Indonesia as one of the world’s top fifteen powers, its international media presence is currently limited. TVRI World and RRI Voice of Indonesia have a limited reach, and ANTARA English, The Jakarta Post and T…
This paper examines the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ strategic role in coordinating and leading Bilateral Maritime Forums (BMFs) following the 2024 dissolution of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment. As the world’s largest archipelagic state at the crossroads of global sea lanes, Indonesia requires coherent maritime diplomacy to safeguard national security, promote…