What a year. 2020 has been a year that none of us expected. International conferences, leaders summits, and negotiations — all went online. This has been truly a year that transforms the way we conduct diplomacy, international relations and affairs. In the last days of 2020, why don’t we take…

I had an interesting chat with a friend of mine yesterday, as he asked me of what I think about President Joko Widodo’s speech at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly’s 75th Session. My answer was simple: I am not impressed. As I said to a friend, I…

On September 15, 2020, US President Donald Trump hosted the representatives of Israel, UAE, and Bahrain. The three countries plus the US signed a peace deal, called the “Abraham Accord”. The peace deal will officially normalize the diplomatic relations of Israel and UAE, as well as of Israel and Bahrain. …

Seventy-five years after its independence, Indonesia still grapples to define its role in world politics. Though it is true that Indonesia has made some progress in its foreign policy throughout its history as an independent nation, there are issues where Indonesia lags behind. …

The year 2020 is somewhat a consequential year for ASEAN. In 2020, ASEAN turns 53. The year 2020 has also been designated as the Year of ASEAN Identity. Some other monumental agreements were also set to be agreed upon by this year — like that of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership…

Four months to the US Presidential Election 2020, the race is becoming increasingly heated. With candidate from each party has been slimmed into one, the battle for the seat to become the most powerful person, arguably, in the world is becoming more fierce. Donald Trump, throughout his four year of…

On May 27, 2020, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) held a meeting on a Senior Officials level to discuss about the grouping’s response to COVID-19. This meeting is a follow up of APEC’s Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) Statement on COVID-19 that was issued on May 5, 2020. Previously, APEC…

Back in May 20, 2020, I attended a webinar by Harvard’s Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies. The webinar brought up the topic of BRI and COVID-19: Is China’s Project of the Century Adapting or Atrophying? …

On April 14, 2020, the United States announced that the country will withhold the funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) over the organization’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are at least three issues identified by Quartz as to why the United States made this decision. First, the United…