SBY: International law increasingly disregarded, revive multilateralism
International law is no longer being observed; it is being disregarded. Yet power must be controlled.
Indonesian Ambassador to Japan Nurmala Kartini Sjahrir stated that at the Tokyo Conference held on 10-12 March, Indonesia’s sixth President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono promoted multilateralism as well as regional and global cooperation to address global challenges.
“Indonesia’s sixth President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, was present to contribute ideas, particularly regarding Asia’s options in the Age of Power and respect for international law. President SBY also emphasised the importance of rebuilding multilateralism,” Nurmala said at the event, according to an Indonesian Embassy press release in Tokyo on Saturday.
At the conference, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, commonly known as SBY, appeared as a keynote speaker alongside former Japanese Prime Minister and Tokyo Conference Advisory Chair Fumio Kishida and other principal speakers.
In his presentation, SBY promoted regional and global cooperation in addressing increasingly complex global challenges.
He also expressed concern about numerous violations of international law amid an uncertain geopolitical situation.
SBY outlined several incidents he considered violations of international law, ranging from Israel and the United States intensifying strikes on Iran to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
“International law is no longer being observed; it is being disregarded. Yet power must be controlled. The tool to control power is through other power,” he said.
He also stressed that a rules-based world is facing new challenges. To this end, he emphasised the importance of prioritising dialogue and inviting countries worldwide to reconvene with a shared objective that prioritises international interests.
SBY’s remarks, according to Nurmala, were aligned with Kishida’s presentation, which also cautioned that Asia is the region most affected by major power policies and the interstate conflicts currently occurring.
Meanwhile, other keynote speakers at the conference focused on promoting multilateralism for nations working on joint peace issues.
A day before the Tokyo Conference, the Asian Leaders Roundtable was held under the theme “Asia’s Options in an ‘Age of Power’: How to defend and rebuild the rules-based multilateral order.”
In this session, SBY served as Co-Chair alongside Kishida. Indonesian panelists in the session included Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, former Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, and former Indonesian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Rizal Sukma.