DIPLOMACY OF CONNECTIVITY

Through this column we want to feature again discourse of state diplomacy in the international area on account that diplomacy constitutes an instrument to struggle for national interests in the international forum on one side, whole on the other hand, struggle for national interests in the international forum should also be followed by similar efforts in the country. the internal restructuring and external struggle become our concern.

               

Any of the issues attractive to note is the plan of the government to promote three concepts of connectivity (physical, institutional and individual) at APEC summit 2013. Even though the government calls it as expectation to the enhancement of regional economic integration and resilience, we want to call it as diplomacy of connectivity. The plan should be called as a fruit of smart and strategic thinking so that we are proper to support fully the plan, surely with notes.

               

Physical and institutional connectivity may be two sectors wherein our shortcomings are so visible. The physical sector or more specifically infrastructure materializes as an extremely visible area of weakness. Highway, port, electricity and others come up as sectors explaining national weakness yawning gap between regions whereas, behind the limitation, there is also great desire for accommodating the flow and movement of goods and services in pacific, in clouding Asia and South America also joining in APEC. Moreover, the government even expects the fortification of connectivity in Asia pacific to be capable of supporting domestic and international markets.

               

In the case of infrastructure, the budget of infrastructure development supporting connectivity, which has been allocated as much as Rp 46 trillion in 2014, may be huge nominally. However, viewed from the ideal need, the amount remains far from sufficient because we encounter a reality of extremely inadequate infrastructure. Besides physical infrastructure, institutional connectivity in the country has continued to become a serious issue. Poor coordination and synergy among institutions still constitute a serious issue encountering Indonesia.

               

In the meantime, issue related to human or individual connectivity is not too serious but still draw questions, such as how to interpret and realize it in concrete action? , does individual connectivity mean encouraged to better focus in the country in a bid to ascertain the creation of numerous job opportunities so that jobless rate could be curbed? And so on.

               

We share of the same view as the government imaging economic value to be obtained if connectivity in APEC scheme runs properly. However, the connectivity surely does not come automatically. It’s difficult to imagine economic benefits we may achieve if domestic connectivity has not been realized. If any, connectivity still concentrates in west region, while east region still lags behind. Any of the descriptions already imagined in the future is that Indonesia would only become a potential market of products at APEC member countries. However, if individual connectivity is rather interpreted in the context of professional movement, mainly tourist, Indonesia is likely to secure considerable benefit. We have numerous tourism destinations which are attractive and better known in the world.

       

Indeed, connectivity of APEC member countries must be realized to validate our status as global citizen. Simultaneously, connectivity must be realized in the country because the external and internal connectivity becomes the core of struggle for diplomacy of connectivity.

Business News - April 17,2013