As the world’s fourth most populous nation with the world’s fourth largest economy, Indonesia’s participation in the upcoming ASEAN Heads of State and Government Meeting in Cebu, Philippines, is going to be contentious, fragmented and uncertain. Here’s hoping that the Indonesian government can put the pieces together of the fragmented and fractured body of ASEAN collective and channel its energies into a unified, secure and economically integrated entity. This would be a befitting occasion for the Southeast Asian grouping as it endeavours to translate its long-term aspiration embodied in the ASEAN Vision 2045 into a meaningful roadmap for the future.

Organised under the theme for the Philippines’ 2026 chairmanship, “Navigating Our Future Together”, the Cebu Summit is the first opportunity for business leaders to come together in two years. In the highly competitive and volatile environment of today’s ASEAN, its future looks uncertain. Led by Indonesia, the region will embark on the first phase of the roadmap for the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 – a resilient, inclusive and people-centred region. But potential alone is not enough; it needs to translate into concrete actions and follow through.

The deteriorating security situation in the South China Sea demands immediate and sustained attention from nations and organisations operating in the region. Talks on the ASEAN Code of Conduct for the area are stalled, and there is a continued lack of clarity as to the positions of key nations involved in a series of recent maritime incidents. Indonesia can play a constructive role by........

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