Expert: Absolute sovereignty must be upheld to address socio-economic issues
Jakarta (ANTARA) - International relations expert from Binus University, Dinna Prapto Raharja, stressed the importance of protecting sovereignty to resolve a country’s socio-economic problems.
The statement was made to ANTARA on Monday, in response to the agenda of the 82nd session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), taking place in Bangkok amid rising global tensions due to the war in the Middle East.
“Indonesia must be present as a cooler voice, reminding that it is impossible to discuss a country’s progress without respecting other countries’ sovereignty,” Dinna said via telephone connection.
She highlighted the practices of imperialism by major powers to seize and violate other countries’ sovereignty, which runs counter to the sustainable development agenda.
“This is not a beneficial situation for developing countries in general, because we are facing major powers whose main agenda is not to address inequalities,” she said.
Even before the outbreak of the United States (US) and Israel war against Iran in February, Dinna noted that the ESCAP agenda on socio-economic issues was already hampered by trade wars and tariff disputes between countries, which then impacted employment problems.
Amid economic uncertainty and rising social inequalities post-COVID-19, she underscored the impact on the most vulnerable groups, particularly women and ageing populations.
“My 2025 study shows that women are most affected by job informalisation. In addition, discussions I attended with Bappenas and Kemensos addressed how the state struggles to distribute aid to ageing groups because they have no jobs while being ill. This is a cost that the state must consider,” she said.
Dinna hopes that the complexity of these issues can be voiced by Indonesia through the UN ESCAP forum, which is a UN body mandated to ensure that economic and social activities of Asia-Pacific countries run inclusively.
“At the ESCAP forum, besides state representatives, there are usually non-governmental actors who can share experiences on challenges and solutions in their respective countries to address economic and social inequalities,” said the policy advisor at Synergy Policies.
The 82nd UN ESCAP meeting takes place from 20-24 April 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the main agenda calling for stronger cooperation to ensure “no one is left behind” in a highly dynamic world.
The meeting is occurring amid increasing pressures on the region, including economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, climate risks, and rapid technological changes, alongside major demographic shifts such as ageing populations, youth employment challenges, and widening inter-generational gaps.
As home to more than 60 per cent of the world’s population, the region is also transitioning from households with high fertility rates to longer lifespans and smaller families, according to the ESCAP press release issued on Monday.
“In every crisis, there is opportunity; the opportunity to reflect and prepare better for the future. This crisis underscores something fundamental about our region. Asia and the Pacific are highly interdependent,” said UN Deputy Secretary-General and ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Alisjahbana.
Amid shocks caused by rising tensions and economic fragmentation, Armida said the Asia-Pacific region has repeatedly shown cooperation that yields positive results.
“Together, we can overcome uncertainties and build resilience,” she wrote on X.
More than 477 participants from 58 member states are attending the meeting organised jointly by ESCAP, Azerbaijan, and Thailand.
The meeting is expected to result in the adoption of resolutions covering, among others, advancing societies for all ages, building inclusive civil registration and vital statistics systems, strengthening connectivity in transport and logistics, and establishing a regional digital solutions centre.