As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic is not only affecting the global health and economic situation, but it has also tested the political leadership of all countries no matter what their political system is. Either they are Republic with Presidential System (Indonesia) and Parliamentary System (India), Absolute Monarchy (Saudi Arabia), Constitutional Monarchy (Japan, United Kingdom), or One-party State (China). Many even say, Democracy? Autocracy? coronavirus doesn’t care.
Continue reading
The Paris Peace Forum (PPF) was born in 2018 as a supporter of multilateralism and a catalyst for a global collective movement that seeks to provide solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has only further reaffirmed PPF’s commitment to think forward, pave the way for the global community to best respond to the COVID-19, and most importantly, shape the landscape for multilateralism in a post-COVID-19 world. For the Paris Peace Forum third event in November 2020, the PPF Secretariat is looking for projects and initiatives from around the world that have been addressing the COVID-19 crisis. The PPF Secretariat is especially looking for those whose projects seek to improve our collective resilience and build a more robust and sustainable world. In this context, those who are addressing the following issues are strongly encouraged to apply: the governance of health; the use and regulation of digital tools and platforms to respond to the crisis; and the support of civil society and economic activity in times of pandemics.
Apart from COVID-19 related solutions, the PPF Secretariat is also considering other projects that tackle various issues in sustainable development, climate change and environment, education, and gender equality. Selected projects and initiatives will have the unique opportunities to receive project support mechanisms from the PPF Scale-Up Committee. Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) as one of the founding members of PPF is trusted to introduce the spirit of the Forum in Indonesia and the greater Southeast Asian region. We fully support PPF’s important agenda in developing the most innovative and workable solutions and enhancing cross-sectoral collaborations for the most pressing issues of our day. We are proud and excited to share such spirit here in Indonesia.
To watch the event, kindly access this following link: or watch it here in our website.
The global outbreak of the novel coronavirus has led to the deaths of hundreds and thousands of lives globally. Currently, stay-at-home practices are the best way of curbing the number of infections. Finding a vaccine is ultimately the number one weapon to fight this pandemic.
Continue reading
The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic gives a new challenge to the global health system and a test to the United Nations member states commitments in protecting and empowering women in society. UN Women reveals that the economic impact of the COVID-19 is affecting women disproportionately and differently than men. The imposed social restrictions or even complete lockdowns in some countries have been affecting minority groups, informal workers and women-led small businesses in varying degrees, from having to balance between the new normal of taking care of their families while also working from home, to simply not having the luxuries to do so at all.
Continue reading
COVID-19 pandemic is not only a global health crisis, it has challenged the current state of our democracy. While both Indonesia and South Korea are countries that have been promoting democratic values in its socio-political system, this unprecedented COVID-19 has grown more concerned whether the pandemic has become the cover for the current political leadership’s authoritarian instinct and intent. Both governments have different containment policies and measures in combating COVID-19 and has also resulted in a dissimilar effect on the ground. This condition has sparked questions of whether democracy is the best form of government in handling the pandemic and how well kept are the values of democracy during the pandemic globally and particularly in both countries? What containment policies might be considered as authoritarian and has it significantly impacted citizens’ freedom of rights and expression?
Continue reading
The Jakarta Forum 2020 will be held on Friday, 29th of May 2020 at 09:00-11:00 GMT+7. This Forum aims to discuss the state of relations between ASEAN member countries and China during this time of duress for all and how to further develop cooperation at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic and envision the relationship after this health crisis ends.
Continue reading
East and Southeast Asian Economies have been severely impacted by COVID-19, especially in terms of the flow of goods and services in the region’s global value chains. This infographic is based upon a policy brief created by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) as a recommendation to ASEAN Member States which can be found on ERIA’s website.
Continue reading
Our oceans are under the threat of climate change — marked by damage to coral reefs in various parts of the world and ocean acidification. Humans have played a large part in sea damage through pollution from ships, from land, mining at sea, as well as irresponsible fisheries exploitation.
Continue reading
A significant percentage of all ASEAN workers consist of migrant labor, whose remittances contribute a substantial proportion of GDP in many nations around the region. In light of COVID-19, however, the impact on these migrant workers has been significantly higher — and the consequences devastating. Migrant workers are often the most overlooked population during a crisis such as the pandemic, and they are now being viewed as the primary cause for second-wave infections. If issues involving marginalized communities such as migrant workers are not addressed, this will fuel more virus containment obstacles going forward.
Continue reading
With the spreading of COVID-19 outbreak, the beginning of the year 2020 has seen a critical threat to state’s economy. In financial sector, Indonesia is under a threat of flagging rupiah with the currency exchange rate reached 16,625 as of 24 March 2020—the weakest since 1998 crisis. Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani stated that the worst situation of Indonesia’s growth could reach minus 0.4%. The pandemic is also testing political leadership of President Jokowi and his administration. Government’s efforts in dealing with the crisis are being questioned and considered lack of transparency. How has the pandemic impacted the economic and political condition in the last few months? Will political instability follow as caused by health crisis that triggered economy crisis?
Continue reading
