Southeast Asia

Indonesia raises ASEAN’s bar on Myanmar
Indonesia raises ASEAN’s bar on Myanmar
For much of his presidency, Indonesia’s Joko Widodo has taken a mercantilist view of foreign policy, pushing the country’s diplomats to promote trade and investment while keeping…
Jokowi’s contradictions and the struggle to remake Indonesia
Commentary
Jokowi’s contradictions and the struggle to remake Indonesia
Originally published in The Jakarta Post.
Southeast Asia’s post-pandemic recovery outlook
Commentary
Southeast Asia’s post-pandemic recovery outlook
Originally published on Brooking's Order From Chaos blog.
The Quad gives a boost to India’s vaccine diplomacy
The Quad gives a boost to India’s vaccine diplomacy
The most notable takeaway from the first-ever “Quad” leaders meeting involving the US, India, Japan and Australia at the weekend was the agreement on expanding the global vaccine…
America’s troubles ahead in the Asia-Pacific
America’s troubles ahead in the Asia-Pacific
Donald Trump has now become the first US president in history to be impeached twice, this time for “incitement of insurrection” for his role in last week’s violence in Washington…
Indonesia lags on renewable energy, and pays the price
Indonesia lags on renewable energy, and pays the price
Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s vision to make the country a destination for foreign company investments neglects the growing demand for clean energy. RE100, a group…
In the defining year of his presidency, Joko Widodo faces an incredibly difficult challenge
Commentary
In the defining year of his presidency, Joko Widodo faces an incredibly difficult challenge
Originally published in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
COVIDcast: Chatib Basri on Indonesia’s struggle with COVID-19 and its first recession since 1998
Podcasts
COVIDcast: Chatib Basri on Indonesia’s struggle with COVID-19 and its first recession since 1998
In this episode of COVIDcast, Ben Bland, the Director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute, sat down with Chatib Basri to discuss Indonesia’s struggle with COVID-19.
Duelling diplomacy over Southeast Asia’s most important river
Duelling diplomacy over Southeast Asia’s most important river
The Mekong, Southeast Asia’s most important river, has for millennia supported the rise and fall of empires and is responsible for the livelihood of over 65 million…