Will ASEAN turn to China to put pressure on Myanmar?

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi stated that China’s support for the implementation of the five-point consensus—aimed at resolving the Myanmar crisis would be highly appreciated amid the growing criticism that ASEAN was too slow in taking actions to reduce the tension. China is one of Myanmar’s closest allies which expressed support for the implementation of … Read more

Why did nine ASEAN nations oppose a UN draft resolution’s call for a Myanmar arms embargo?

JAKARTA, INDONESIA — Nine Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries have demanded the removal of a call for an arms embargo listed in a United Nations’ General Assembly (UNGA) resolution draft on Myanmar. Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines have reportedly submitted a formal request to Liechtenstein — … Read more

Behind Indonesia’s opposition to R2P Resolution at UN General Assembly — and how ASEAN sees it

JAKARTA, INDONESIA — Indonesia’s controversial decision to vote against the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) resolution at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 18 May has become a contentious topic of late. Indonesia was one of the 15 nations that voted ‘No’ on the resolution aimed at preventing war crimes, genocide, and other types of … Read more

How far along are several ASEAN nations in their energy transition process?

JAKARTA, INDONESIA — Several ASEAN nations have expressed scepticism toward a recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), which urged fossil fuel investments to be halted as a way to achieve zero-emission targets by 2050. “Our Roadmap outlines actions that urgently need to be taken to ensure that the possibility of net-zero emissions by … Read more

Indonesia announces plan for nuclear power plant after 2025

JAKARTA, INDONESIA — Indonesia is planning to build a nuclear power plant after 2025, said Director-General of Electricity at Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resource, Rida Mulyana in an online interview with CNBC Indonesia in April. The construction of a nuclear power plant aims to fulfill the rising energy demand. Also, a nuclear power … Read more

COVID-19 challenges in Southeast Asia: Proliferation of mutant strains, tighter restrictions amid pandemic fatigue and vaccination fears

JAKARTA, INDONESIA — New COVID-19 variants have spread across numerous countries in Southeast Asia, sending a warning sign that the pandemic is not over yet, despite growing pandemic fatigue among people worldwide with social distancing regulations and travel restrictions designed to minimise the spread of the deadly virus. Indonesia’s Ministry of Health recently confirmed that … Read more

South Korea joins list of developed nations to cease funding future overseas coal projects as Indonesia boost efforts to curb emissions

JAKARTA, INDONESIA — South Korea announced last month that it will not fund new coal projects overseas in a bid to secure its commitment to reducing emissions. “To become carbon neutral, it is imperative for the world to scale down coal-fired power plants,” said South Korean President Moon Jae-in in a video address at the … Read more

After the ASEAN Leaders’ Summit: What’s next after the five-point consensus on Myanmar?

JAKARTA, INDONESIA — The ASEAN Leaders’ Summit last week culminated in a five-point consensus aimed at resolving the current Myanmar crisis, which was triggered by a military coup in early Feb. Beyond reaching the consensus, however, questions arise as to how it will actually be implemented and whether the 10-member bloc will be able to … Read more

Behind Indonesia’s natural disasters

JAKARTA, INDONESIA — Numerous natural disasters have hit Indonesia since the beginning of 2021. According to the country’s disaster mitigation agency (BNPB), 221 natural disasters were recorded from 1 January to 26 January at 3.00 PM (4.00 PM Singapore time). The BNPB’s data showed 146 floods in several regions, followed by 35 landslides, 29 typhoons, … Read more