Mari Elka: ASEAN Must Remain Open Amid Geopolitical Tensions

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Special Presidential Envoy for International Trade and Multilateral Cooperation Mari Elka Pangestu stressed the importance of ASEAN remaining open and not retreating from multilateralism amid current geopolitical tensions. “Our task now is not to withdraw from openness, but to build resilience as an open system and bridge the gap between our ambitions and our capacity to realise them,” Mari Elka said during the ASEAN-Canada strategic dialogue on energy resilience in Jakarta on Tuesday. She explained that over the past 40 years, ASEAN’s development model has been founded on openness, realised through open markets, predictable rules, and stable relations with external powers. However, the former trade minister noted that ASEAN is currently facing a polycrisis, where various global crises—economic, environmental, geopolitical, and technological—are occurring simultaneously and interacting, exposing the region’s vulnerabilities. These crises, she said, range from the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis to the retreat of multilateralism. On energy resilience, the former tourism and creative economy minister also encouraged ASEAN to accelerate the development of the ASEAN Power Grid system and optimise sustainable alternative resources such as solar, hydro, and geothermal power. “Let us diversify our energy and not allow a single disruption to bring such massive consequences to our economies,” she stated. Mari Elka acknowledged that ASEAN is a region that emphasises preparedness, as demonstrated by the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA) established in 1986, which remains relevant today. She expressed satisfaction that this principle is still being followed, with ASEAN leaders currently focusing their efforts on responding to the Strait of Hormuz crisis with clear responsibilities and timelines.