Indonesia: Sitting at the Crossroads of the Region of Consequence

By Douglas Carroll, DKI APCSS Public Affairs Specialist

JAKARTA, Indonesia — In late February, a team from the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, led by Deputy Director Russell Bailey, traveled to Indonesia to engage with key U.S. Embassy officials, senior Indonesian defese and security leaders, and DKI APCSS alumni — an association of Fellows nearly 500 strong.

These engagements included leadership from eminent institutions such as the Ministries of Defense (Kemhan) and Foreign Affairs (Kemlu), the National Defece University (Unhan), the National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas), and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). In these meetings, the delegation explored various avenues in which DKI APCSS can provide executive education and foster professional networks for Indonesian security professionals throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

“During these meetings, we had productive conversations with ministries and organizations that directly contribute to Indonesia’s efforts to solve security problems — contributing to regional security,” said Deputy Director Bailey. “Many of the institutions we engaged with are natural partners for an organization like DKI APCSS. There’s tremendous opportunity for collaboration to advance security in the Indo-Pacific.”

Geographically situated at the crossroads of Asia, Indonesia has the largest economy in Southeast Asia, and with 280 million people, it is the fourth-largest democracy in the world. For commerce, trade, defense, and security, it is a vitally important strategic partner.

Coordinated with the assistance of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, these engagements and the potential for collaboration reinforce the center’s continuing lines of effort and involvement with Indonesia, fortifying their resilience and capabilities, and building peace through strength in this region of consequence.

A specific example of one of the key outcomes from this endeavor was the proposition of hosting a cohort from the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, Directorate for Strategic Policy and Planning, at the center’s next Comprehensive Security Course (CSC 26-1) this year. During the five weeks of the center’s flagship course, leveraging DKI APCSS faculty expertise, this cohort intends to concentrate on analyzing and formulating a multi-domain strategy for the Ministry of Defense on national security.

Dr. Bill Wieninger, a professor at the center since 2008 and former U.S. Air Force foreign area officer specializing in Southeast Asia, took part in the discussions refining the cohort’s parameters.

“We’re talking about not just traditional military, but also the economic roles, geopolitics externally, domestic terrorism, and corruption. So, it’s security, broadly defined,” Wieninger said.

“Part of the CSC is getting the perspectives of Fellows from all regions of the Indo-Pacific on all aspects of security issues,” he said.

“With this information, the cohort can discern what it all means for Indonesia and what security risks are most critical to focus their attention on and prioritize effectively.”

Each Fellow graduating from the center’s CSC course is required to create, and eventually complete, a project that will fill specific needs to improve effectiveness and efficiency in their sphere of operations, as defined by their leadership, such as this multi-domain strategy cohort. One of the main objectives of DKI APCSS is to provide alumni the knowledge, capacity, and resources that will enable them to complete these projects and thereby contribute in significant ways to the betterment of their respective agencies and their home country’s overall security and resilience.

Indonesian Alumni Mentor Roundtable

To help advance these critical Fellow projects, a two-hour Mentors Roundtable was held in Jakarta, led by DKI APCSS professor Andrea Malji, with senior distinguished alumni. Fifteen participants from diverse fields, such as the Indonesian Supreme Court, the Foreign Ministry, multiple branches of the military, and civilian enterprise, gathered to discuss the ways and means they could personally contribute and invest in the success of junior Fellows.

“This was a very enthusiastic group,” said Dr. Malji. “This is one of our largest alumni groups, and because they have created such a strong network within Indonesia, we wanted to meet with those who volunteered to be mentors and understand the insights and advice they can provide to Fellows who are bound for the center.”

During the roundtable, three recently completed Fellow projects were showcased, earning those alumni the prestigious “Laulima Lanyard.” This provided the opportunity to share experiences and consider how best to expand the completion rate of other Indonesian alumni, which is already the highest among all 64 DKI APCSS alumni associations across the globe. By capitalizing on this dedicated mentor network, Indonesia can serve as a model of success enhancing security and prosperity for the entire Indo-Pacific region.

Certainly, one of the most unique aspects of the team’s visit to Indonesia, a diverse yet predominantly Muslim country, was their visit coinciding with Ramadan — observed as a month of fasting, communal prayer, and reflection. With respect to this profound time, an alumni reception was held at the U.S. ambassador’s residence at sunset, highlighted by a sumptuous feast to break fast, known as “Buka Puasa.”

This gala, hosted by U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Peter Haymond, the former senior diplomatic Fellow at DKI APCSS, drew a large, enthusiastic gathering of more than 80 Fellows, including 11 flag-rank alumni.

Deputy Director Bailey recognized several attendees for their respective career advancements, and another 15 Laulima Lanyards were awarded to Indonesian alumni for completing their Fellow projects.

“Awarding these alumni these special lanyards stands as recognition by DKI APCSS that not only did they do the research and analysis for potential security solutions, they were able to implement it for their country,” said Bailey. “These are significant contributions to regional security.”