Abstract
Energy security has become a central issue in the Indonesia’s current national policy. The main objective of energy security policy is to ensure the needs of domestic energy supply. In order to achieve this objective, Indonesian foreign policy has played its pivotal role in the issue through its international diplomacy and cooperation. This chapter focuses on the role of Indonesian foreign policy in addressing the energy security issues. It presents an analysis on the role and influence of energy diplomacy and international cooperation in the pursuit of the national energy security. The findings show that foreign policy became an integral part of the efforts to realize the objectives of the energy security policy. However, this issue has not yet become a priority in the Indonesia’s foreign policy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the frontline actor of diplomacy and foreign relations, does not yet have a special unit dealing with energy security in its organizational structure. Indonesia’s energy diplomacy has still sectoral based, which spreads to some technical ministries. The implementation of energy diplomacy is currently facing the problems of coordination and synergy. As a result, despite its rich mineral resources, Indonesia has not utilized its energy sector as an important bargaining power in foreign policy.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
China’s rising energy needs are noticeably shown in its heightened oil consumption from only about three million barrels per day in 1999 to 7.5 million barrels in 2006. However, we should not forget that the per capita energy consumption of the Chinese is only one-tenth of the Americans.
- 2.
Raymond Sener and Lichia Yiu defined the term as “Commercial diplomacy…describes the work of diplomatic sections in support of the home country’s business and finance sectors in their pursuit of of economic success and the country’s general objective of national development. It includes the promotion of inward and outwards investment as well as trade. Commercial diplomats could also promote economic ties through advising and support of both domestic and foreign companies for investment.”
- 3.
A concern on the US energy security has stirred the reign of George Bush to establish National Energy Policy Development Group (NEPDG) chaired by the US Vice President Dick Cheney. The NEPDG then advised the US government to secure its energy supply by “stealing a glance” to new regions with potential energy resources, including Caspian region, Latin America , and West Africa. Later, AOPIC was established in West Africa.
- 4.
See a speech by the President of the Republic of Indonesia (SBY) at the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the United States, September 2009.
References
An interview with Farida Zed, staff member of National Energy Council (DEN). (2011). Jakarta. July 12, 2011.
An interview with Muhadi Sugiono, lecturer at Department of International Relations, The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Gadjah Mada University. (2011) Yogyakarta. May 22, 2011.
An interview with Shaleh Abdurrahman, staff member of National Energy Council (DEN). (2011). Jakarta. July 12, 2011.
An interview with Nikolaous Loy, lecturer at National Development University (UPN-Veteran). (2011). Yogyakarta. May 31,2011.
Anggoro, K. (2011, June 16). Indonesian Foreign Policy and Energy Security. Paper presented at the Focus Group Discussion on Indonesian Foreign Policy and Energy Security in Jakarta. Jakarta: P2P-LIPI.
Biro Perencanaan dan Kerja Sama Luar Negeri Kementerian ESDM RI. (2011). Kebijakan energi nasional: Pengelolaan, ketahanan, dan kerja sama energi. Presented at the Focus Group Discussion on Politik Luar Negeri Indonesia dan Isu Keamanan Energi. Jakarta: P2P-LIPI.
Bowoleksono, B., & dan Suryasaputra, B. R. (2007). Diplomasi energi Indonesia: Salah satu instrumen untuk mewujudkan keamanan energi Indonesia. Pejambon, 5(1).
Directorate-General for Law and International Agreement, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in a letter to the Head of Center for Political Research (P2P)-LIPI on Data Request dated November 23, 2011.
Jemadu, A. (2008). Politik global dalam teori dan praktek. Bandung: Graha Ilmu.
Jemadu, A. (2011, October 4). Hubungan Indonesia-China dalam Dinamika Politik, Pertahanan Keamanan dan Ekonomi di Asia Tenggara. Paper presented at Focus Group Discussion on Indonesia-China Relationship in Jakarta. Jakarta: P2P-LIPI.
Law No. 30/2007 on Energy.
Melissen, J. (1999). Innovation in diplomatic practice. London: Macmillan.
Nasir, A. (2008). Kesiapan diplomasi ekonomi Indonesia dalam perdagangan multilateral. In I. Cahyono (Ed.), Menjinakkan metakuasa globalisasi: Suara Indonesia untuk globalisasi yang lebih adil. Jakarta: LP3ES.
Resosudarmo, B. P., Alisjahbana, A., & Nurdianto, D. A. (2010). Energy security in Indonesia. Working Paper No. 2010/08, The Arndt-Corden Department of Economics Crawford School of Economics and Government, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, Canberra: ANU.
Sener, R., & Yiu, L. (2003). International economic diplomacy: Mutation in post modern times. Clingendael: Netherlands Institute of International Relations.
Sinaga, L. C. (2012, 30 March). Satu Dekade Forum Energi Indonesia-China. http://www.politik.lipi.go.id/index.php/kolom/politik-internasional/603-satu-dekade-forum-energi-indonesia-china.
Suyoto, S. (2005). Diplomasi dan keamanan energi Indonesia. Jurnal Luar Negeri, 22(2).
Yumkella, K. K. (2008). Energy security and foreign policy. Vienna: Ambassador Lecture.
Zed, F. (2009). Kebijakan energi nasional dalam menghadapi krisis energi global (Master’s Thesis). Yogyakarta: Program Studies of International Relations, Gadjah Mada University.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wuryandari, G. (2017). Understanding Indonesia’s Foreign Policy on Energy Security Issues. In: Foreign Policy and Energy Security Issues in Indonesia . Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4421-2_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4421-2_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-4420-5
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-4421-2
eBook Packages: EnergyEnergy (R0)