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Indonesia Champions Papua New Guinea’s⁤ ASEAN Membership

Indonesia has taken a decisive step in advocating Papua New Guinea’s entry into the⁢ Association of Southeast Asian​ Nations (ASEAN). In may, President Prabowo Subianto formally ‍proposed and endorsed PNG’s ‍membership, emphasising that its inclusion would “expand networks of cooperation and strengthen regional‍ resilience”.⁤ He also highlighted that, geographically, ‍PNG is Indonesia’s immediate neighbor, sharing a direct border in the east, making its membership both natural and strategic. This reflects Jakarta’s active role in shaping ASEAN’s future architecture and consolidating its geopolitical influence across the Asia-Pacific.

Indonesia’s support for PNG makes sense. PNG ⁢ shares a land border ⁢with Indonesia’s​ Papua provinces and maritime boundaries with ASEAN ⁢countries. Its inclusion would not only expand ASEAN’s ⁢geographic footprint into the Pacific but also reinforce Jakarta’s role as the bridge between the two‍ regions. Economically, PNG’s reserves ⁣of natural gas, fisheries, and minerals complement ASEAN ‌markets, while its ⁢membership would reshape ASEAN’s political identity ⁢from a Southeast ⁢Asian to a broader‌ Asia-Pacific organisation.

For ASEAN, enlargement has⁤ always ⁣been more than a ⁤numbers game. Its previous expansions, adding Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, bolstered the bloc’s credibility ​as ⁤the region’s⁤ central economic and security platform. ⁤With Timor-Leste’s admission in principle, PNG emerges‍ as⁤ the ‍next natural candidate.

However, PNG’s accession carries sensitivities, most critically the issue of West Papua. ⁤Support for Papuan​ independence