Indonesia's Participation in the BoP: Merely an Active Form in Global Peace Efforts
Engagement of political figures and elites is seen as strengthening the legitimacy of government policy. International relations analyst Subhan Yusuf argues that Indonesia’s participation in the Board of Peace (BOP) is a strategic foreign policy move in line with the Constitution’s mandate, whereby Indonesia should actively engage in global peace efforts.
According to him, the BOP adopts an approach similar to the post-World War II Marshall Plan, namely rebuilding regions after wars. Indonesia would play an important role there to ensure the aims benefit Palestine.
‘The main thing is that Indonesia is present to play a role in addressing the elephant in the room, amid real problems such as stalled diplomatic approaches and leaders in the region who are trapped in fear factor,’ said the Warsaw-based alumnus of Civitas University, Poland, on Thursday (5/3).
Nevertheless, Subhan emphasised that Indonesia’s joining the BOP does not automatically make us a subordinate ally of the United States. Rather, it is a strategic partner for peace in the Middle East. ‘In international relations dynamics, it can be read as issue-based participation for the world, not an alliance or partnership without any basis,’ he explained.
Moreover, the BOP is not a military pact like NATO that obliges its members to mutual military support if threatened by a common enemy. Therefore Indonesia cannot be linked to the military actions of other countries that are members of the BOP, in this context the US attack on Iran. ‘The BOP is not a military alliance like NATO. So Indonesia as a member of the BOP is not responsible for United States foreign policy, even though normatively there might be room for consultative dialogue,’ he said.
He assessed that President Prabowo’s move to participate in the BOP is on the right track diplomatically. In the face of limited breakthroughs from leaders in the Middle East or Muslim-majority countries to resolve the Palestine conflict, I see President Prabowo so far moving within legitimate international diplomatic corridors, with a positive impact on Indonesia’s image and on Indonesian values in the eyes of the global public, he concluded. (H-2)
US President Donald Trump said that a military operation against Iran could last up to four weeks and warned of possible further casualties.
Prabowo also stated that Indonesia’s participation in the BoP is not a binding, unconditional commitment. As Western countries tighten aid and migratory policies, Spain, by contrast, is expanding cooperation with Africa.