Indonesian Maritime Policy

Introduction

Indonesia recently launched a policy initiative called the “global maritime axis”, which was introduced by President Jokowi during the 9th East Asia Summit in Myanmar on 13 November 2014. In his statement, President Jokowi set out the rationale, objectives and important pillars of this policy, which include: (i) a revival of Indonesia’s maritime culture; (ii) improved management of Indonesia’s oceans and fisheries through the development of the country’s fishing industry and building maritime “food sovereignty” and security; (iii) boosting Indonesia’s maritime economy by improving the country’s port infrastructure, shipping industry, and maritime tourism; (iv) encouraging Indonesia’s partners to work together on issues of illegal fishing, breaches of sovereignty, territorial disputes, piracy, and environmental concerns; and (v) bolstering Indonesia’s maritime defences.

This “global maritime axis” policy has domestic, regional and global dimensions, as well as opportunities for partnerships from regional and international actors. Understanding the regional ramifications of this policy is critical for Indonesia’s partners in order to be able to forge new areas of cooperation with Indonesia, one of the few countries in the world that geographically connects two oceans and two continents.

About the Speaker

H.E. Arif Havas Oegroseno was called to the confirmation hearing before the Indonesian Parliament on his appointment as the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg and the European Union on 3 May 2010. His appointment was confirmed and he was later inducted at the Presidential Palace by the President of the Republic of Indonesia on 10 August 2010. He arrived in Brussels on 15 September 2010.

He is a career diplomat who has been in the diplomatic service for the past 25 years. Prior to assuming his Ambassadorial post in Brussels, he had served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Directorate-General for Legal and International Treaty Affairs since February 2003, first as Director for Political, Security and Territorial Affairs from (2003–2007) and later as the Director-General for Legal and International Treaty Affairs.

During his tenure, he was chief negotiator for numerous bilateral and regional negotiations, including Indonesian maritime boundaries, mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and extradition negotiations. He led the landmark negotiation of Indonesia-Australia Security Framework Agreement, which has been ratified by both Indonesian and Australian parliaments. He was the Indonesian High Level Legal Expert of the ASEAN Charter, assigned with other ASEAN High Level Legal Experts to conclude the ASEAN Dispute Settlement Mechanisms.

He led numerous multilateral negotiations in the United Nations forum. He was the Head of Indonesian Delegation on the Submission of the Outer Limit of Indonesian Continental Shelf to the Commission on the Limit of Continental Shelf of the Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982. He was elected by the State Parties of UNCLOS 1982 as the President to the State Parties of the 20th Conference of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (2010-2011).