Indonesia Proposes Consular Forum to Protect ASEAN Citizens

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced a proposal to create an ASEAN Heads of Consular Affairs Division Forum, designed to strengthen coordination for the protection of ASEAN citizens overseas. The proposal was initially put forward by Indonesia at the 29th ASEAN Director General of Immigration Department and Heads of Consular Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Meeting in Cambodia last June. It was subsequently raised again by the Indonesian Foreign Minister during the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila. The consideration behind the proposal is the increasing mobility of ASEAN citizens. According to the ministry, not all ASEAN member states possess equal capacity in terms of diplomatic network representation and digital infrastructure, leading to varied responses to crises. The proposed mechanism aims to enhance collective collaboration on consular issues. The forum is expected to comprise director-level officials and heads of division from each foreign ministry who handle consular affairs and citizen protection. The initiative will focus on coordinating mutual support, exchanging information and best practices, and developing guidelines, operational standards, and practical working tools. The forum will also promote training, capacity building for consular officials, and strengthening people-oriented protection for ASEAN citizens.