At the 30th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), during the 2023 Indonesian ASEAN Chairmanship, here on Friday, Marsudi highlighted that the sharpening rivalry between powerful countries has loomed over the Asia-Pacific region.
Security-related challenges have also become harder to tackle owing to non-traditional security threats, such as terrorism, human trafficking, and maritime piracy, she pointed out.
"This complexity requires us to better manage potential conflict," the minister emphasized.
Hence, she urged the ARF to act as a vehicle for boosting peace and preventing any potential conflict from arising in the region.
Marsudi said she looked forward to an interactive discussion to devise concrete preventive diplomacy measures for the ARF.
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Preventive diplomacy is one of the ARF measures in maintaining regional security. It was agreed that preventive diplomacy is a “consensual diplomatic and political action taken by sovereign states with the consent of all directly involved parties to help prevent disputes and conflicts."
"We must turn trust deficit into strategic trust by continuing to promote norms of self-restraint and the non-use of force," Marsudi affirmed.
The ARF has 28 member states, comprising 10 ASEAN member states and 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 Timor-Leste.
Moreover, the minister emphasized that the cooperation framework should bring real benefits to the people.
"That is why Indonesia keeps pushing for complete implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP)," she stated.
According to Marsudi, not only does the AOIP have an economic impact, but it also provides a strategic habit of cooperation in the current geopolitical settings.
Indonesia, during its chairmanship of the ASEAN, aims to strengthen the bloc's capacity and institutional effectiveness to be able to respond to challenges of the next two decades.
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Translator: Shofi A, Kenzu
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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