The 2009 U.S. – Indonesia Partnership: Engaging the Non-Government Sector
Based on Indonesian President Yudhoyono’s proposal at USINDO in November 2008 for a 21st century strategic partnership with the United States, Secretary of State Clinton committed the U.S. in February 2009 to “working with Indonesia to pursue such a partnership with a concrete agenda.” A comprehensive bilateral partnership, planned for this year, will be the first in the sixty year history of U.S.-Indonesian relations. The Indonesian proposal was that the partnership “has to be for the long-term, and have strong people to people content.” To engage the non-government sector and civil society in both countries in the partnership, USINDO hosted a major conference in Washington on April 16 and 17, 2009. This report discusses the findings, recommendations, and suggestions for next steps over the summer, on six topics expected to be part of the partnership: expanding bilateral education and exchanges, regional democracy and reform, advancing global climate change, trade and food security, investment and business, and bilateral security cooperation.