Building U.S.-Indonesia Mutual Understanding Since 1994

Indonesia's New Maritime Strategy under President Jokowi: Implications for Indonesia's Strategic Role and Economic Growth

USINDO cordially invites you to a

USINDO Open Forum

Indonesia’s New Maritime Strategy under President Jokowi:
Implications for Indonesia’s Strategic Role and Economic Growth

Tuesday, September 1

2:30 – 4:00 p.m.

USINDO Office
1625 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Suite 550

Emphasizing Indonesia’s strategic geographic position astride the Indian and Pacific oceans, and the importance of the vast seas within Indonesia, Indonesian President Jokowi has articulated a new maritime vision for Indonesia: to maximize its role as a “global maritime fulcrum” between the two oceans, and to develop Indonesia’s internal maritime economy to increase national connectivity, efficiency, and growth.

The vision has five elements: maritime security, maritime diplomacy, maritime connectivity, maritime culture, and enhancing maritime resources.  It would increase  national authority over the country’s insular waters, reorient its threat perceptions and security strategy, enhance its naval and armed forces capability; and stimulate investment in maritime infrastructure.

Steps taken thus far include cracking down on illegal foreign fishing, announcing plans to create a coast guard, pledging to double the defense budget over the next five years, and seeking investment in maritime infrastructure.   Playing Indonesia’s potential regional maritime role fully is a policy in progress whose results will be seen over time.  Reaping the benefits of a modernized maritime infrastructure requires attracting huge foreign and domestic investment, which the government is actively pursuing.

To orient us on Indonesia’s maritime ambitions and strategy, in advance of President Jokowi’s anticipated trip to Washington in October, USINDO is pleased to present a panel of three experts:

  • Bronson Percival, Senior Advisor, Center for Naval Analyses’ Center for Strategic Studies, on implications for Indonesia’s security
  • Vibhanshu Shekhar, Asia Studies Visiting Fellow, East-West Center in Washington and Visiting Fellow, Paramadina University, Jakarta, Indonesia, on President Jokowi’s vision
  • S. Samuel Tumiwa, Deputy Representative, Asian Development Bank, North America, on Indonesia’s maritime infrastructure

Please join us on September 1 for this informative Open Forum.

To register, please kindly RSVP HERE by 05:00 p.m. Monday, August 31, 2015.