scholarly journals Indonesia’s Foreign Policy in Pacific Island Countries during Joko Widodo Era 2014-2019: An Adaptive Action?

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Vrameswari Omega Wati ◽  
Stanislaus Risadi Apresian ◽  
Elisabeth A. Satya Dewi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Adaptive Policy ◽  
Adaptive Action ◽  
Pacific Island Countries ◽  
Leadership Changes ◽  
Papua Barat ◽  
The Look

Istilah ‘Pacific Elevation’ muncul pertama kali ketika penyelenggaraan Pacific Exposition pada 2019 lalu di Auckland, Selandia Baru. Konsep baru ini diperkenalkan oleh Menteri Luar Negeri, Retno Marsudi sebagai istilah yang merujuk pada era baru kemitraan yang lebih kuat antara Indonesia dengan negara-negara Kepulauan Pasifik. Kegiatan yang dimanfaatkan untuk membahas berbagai peluang kerja sama ini merupakan salah satu bentuk realisasi kebijakan ‘Look East’ oleh Indonesia dengan memberikan perhatian lebih melalui berbagai keterlibatannya di negara-negara Kepulauan Pasifik. Kajian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan teknik pengumpulan data melalui studi literatur dan diskusi kelompok terarah. Artikel ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis dan memaparkan realisasi kebijakan luar negeri Indonesia di negara-negara Kepulauan Pasifik merupakan tindakan adaptif sebagai respons dari perkembangan yang terjadi di lingkup eksternal. Hasil kajian ini menunjukkan bahwa perkembangan di negara-negara Kepulauan Pasifik seperti seringnya pergantian kepemimpinan yang terjadi, manuver politik Gerakan Persatuan Pembebasan untuk Papua Barat, dan disuarakannya isu Papua oleh beberapa negara di Kepulauan Pasifik dalam sidang PBB mendorong pemerintah Indonesia mengeluarkan kebijakan adaptif untuk mengatasi potensi ancaman yang diterima dengan cara meningkatkan keterlibatan yang lebih intensif di kawasan Kepulauan Pasifik.Kata-kata kunci: Kebijakan luar negeri, Adaptif, Papua, Kepulauan PasifikThe term 'Pacific Elevation' first appeared in the Pacific Exposition event in 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi, introduced this new concept as a term that refers to a new era of stronger partnerships between Indonesia and Pacific Island Countries (PIC). The activity used to discuss various opportunities for cooperation is one of the realizations of the 'Look East' policy by giving more attention to Indonesia's various engagements in the PICs. This study employs a qualitative method with data collection techniques through literature study and focus group discussions. This article aims to analyze and explain that Indonesia's foreign policy in PICs is an adaptive action in response to developments in the external environment. The results of this study indicate that developments in PICs such as frequent leadership changes, political maneuvering of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua, and voicing the issue of Papua by several PICs in the UN forum encouraged the Indonesian government to issue an adaptive policy to overcome the potential threats received by Indonesia by increasing more intensive involvement in the region of Pacific Islands.Keywords: Foreign policy, Adaptive, Papua, Pacific Islands

scholarly journals THE CURRENT STATUS OF MAPPING IN THE WORLD – SPOTLIGHT ON OCEANIA

2016 ◽  
Vol XLI-B4 ◽  
pp. 95-102
Author(s):  
John C. Trinder
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Airborne Lidar ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Pacific Island Countries

A summary is presented of the results of questionnaires sent to mapping agencies in Oceania, covering Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Island countries, to investigate the status of mapping in those countries. After World War II, the Australian Federal Government funded the initial small scale mapping of the whole country leading to increased percentages of map coverage of Australia. Mapping at larger scales is undertaken by the states and territories in Australia, including cadastral mapping. In New Zealand mapping is maintained by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) at 1:50,000 scale and smaller with regular updating. The results of the questionnaires also demonstrate the extent of map coverage in six Pacific Islands, but there is little information available on the actual percent coverage. Overall there are estimated to be an increases in the percentages of coverage of most map scales in Oceania. However, there appear to be insufficient professionals in most Pacific Island countries to maintain the mapping programs. Given that many Pacific Island countries will be impacted by rising sea level in the future, better mapping of these countries is essential. The availability of modern technology especially satellite images, digital aerial photography and airborne lidar data should enable the Pacific Island countries to provide better map products in future, but this would depend on foreign aid on many occasions.

scholarly journals Public policy processes in the Pacific islands: A study of policy initiation, formulation and implementation in Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Samoa and regional inter-governmental organisations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Muliagatele Ausiamanaia Potoae Roberts Aiafi
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Solomon Islands ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Effective Implementation ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Pacific Island Countries

<p>This thesis examines the manner in which public policies are initiated, formulated and implemented in Pacific island countries and regional organisations, and determines the factors which are most critical for their effective implementation. It employs narrative inquiry and grounded theory approaches, supported by the computer software Nvivo, to data collection and analysis of case studies from Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Samoa, and key regional inter-governmental organisations. 128 semi-structured interviews were drawn from ten policy cases (three for each of the Pacific island countries and one from the Region’s Pacific Plan), together with a general narrative of the policy environment spread across all four contexts. A social constructionism worldview allows for the grounding of the research and its findings for both subject and context of the study. Participant voices are utilised as rich descriptions of policy processes, triangulation provided by documentary analyses and participant observation.   Motivating this inquiry was my observation of the lack of visibly significant improvements in service delivery in Samoa and other Pacific island countries. These perceptions echoed criticisms in the literature about the slow improvement of development performance across the region despite high levels of foreign aid. Yet, such assessments often lack a solid understanding about the actual processes of public policy in the Pacific islands. Prevailing theories of public policy have remained largely westernised, and lenses to development primarily ethnocentric.  Accordingly, this study’s findings shed light on the strengths and limitations of current public policy and development scholarships evident from Pacific public policy experiences. There are five key findings: First, policy processes have remained heavily top-down, shaped significantly by political and external interests, and where society has been the neglected element. In essence, the genesis of public policy has been insufficiently rooted in the context, problems and needs to which policies have been directed. This constitutes a significant democratic and development deficit that must be addressed in ongoing public policy development. Second, the use of evidence-based policy has been limited. While existing formal policies were often those transferred from elsewhere, and which do not fit well in the receiving context and culture, the practices were ad hoc, driven by various ideological or social constructions. Third, the success of policy and its implementation depends on mutually reinforcing factors of policy culture and stakeholder support, capability, implementation modality and leadership. These factors are critical for ensuring that participation, partnership, ownership, understanding and learning are built into policy processes. Fourth, the integration of these elements into ongoing public policy development of Pacific island countries and the region requires a fundamental shift of focus about the role of society, particularly the adaptive capability of indigenous systems to legitimise notions of public policy in state-society relationships. Fifth, following a meta-analysis and synthesis of the four (country) case studies, the overall findings are conceptualised into a (explanatory) model of public policy. This model is a heuristic one that could be used when thinking about adopting and designing public policies in the Pacific islands capable of effective implementation. The model could be applied to non-Pacific small island developing states.  Finally, the model provides a framework for discussing the normative implications of this study’s findings for public policy and development theory, practice and needed future research, and yielded five broad recommendations for future improvement: (1) the centrality of context; (2) societal needs incorporated into the public policy space; (3) focus on the political dimensions of further reforms; (4) international support that is more appreciative of context; and (5) needed changes to the way in which we think about development public policy.</p>

scholarly journals China in the Pacific Islands: Shaping a Community of Shared Future

2018 ◽  
Vol 04 (03) ◽  
pp. 419-437
Author(s):  
Jiarui Liang
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Colonial History ◽  
Cultural Relations ◽  
Pragmatic Approach ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Pacific Island Countries ◽  
Political Economic

Separated by the vast Pacific Ocean, China and Pacific Island countries have been interlinked through vigorous ocean diplomacy which helps strengthen their political, economic and cultural relations. Based upon common perceptions and with new momentum generated under China’s “Belt and Road Initiative (BRI),” both sides can join hands in building a community of shared future for their mutual benefits. With regard to the cultural diversity, colonial history, group identity and various legitimate concerns of Pacific Island countries, China needs to adopt a more comprehensive and pragmatic approach in order to achieve win-win cooperation.

scholarly journals Integrating Renewable Energy in Pacific Island Countries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Marie Marconnet
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Electricity Markets ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Portfolio Analysis ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Renewable Energy Resources ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Pacific Island Countries ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Electricity Systems

<p>The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the entry of renewable energy technologies into Pacific Islands' electricity markets, with particular focus on a new technology: the Pelamis, a wave energy converter. Pacific Islands are endowed with various types of renewable energy resources, yet they remain highly dependent on expensive fuel imports for their energy requirements, using little renewable energy. This paradox is investigated by studying the characteristics of Pacific Islands' electricity markets, including a case study on the entry of a new renewable energy technology, the Pelamis, into the electricity market of Hawaii. The integration of renewable energy technologies into Pacific Islands' electricity systems is then analysed from the point of view of an energy planner. The recent application of portfolio analysis to energy planning has provided a new framework to evaluate the different electricity generating options available to energy planners. Taking both the generating cost and financial risk of each technology into account, portfolio theory has been applied to various European countries, by comparing actual generation portfolios to an efficient frontier showing the trade-off between energy security and the cost of electricity generation. This framework has clear relevance to Pacific Island Countries. However, the characteristics inherent to Pacific Island Countries have important implications on the operation of their electricity systems, which are not necessarily taken into account in portfolio analysis. In particular, geographical isolation inhibits these countries from connecting to larger intercontinental grids, which emphasizes the importance of reliability of supply. This thesis presents a mathematical model which establishes a method for computing an optimal intertemporal path for introducing renewable energy into a pre-existing electricity system. The model explicitly allows for the cost of maintaining reliability of supply as intermittent generators are integrated. The framework also incorporates concepts from Integrated Resource Planning and portfolio analysis. Finally, policies for accelerating renewable energy development are reviewed, and a discussion is provided on the policies which are likely to be most suitable to Pacific Islands. One of the main conclusions of this thesis is that the amount of backup capacity for renewable energy can be optimally minimized by diversifying the mix of renewable energy resources in each island. In practice, this would require studying the complementarities and loading curves of the various renewable resources available, and comparing their total potential production, and the variability of this production, to electricity demand. This would allow energy planners to model the inclusion of a maximum amount of renewable energy using a minimum of backup capacity to maintain system reliability, potentially leading to a more efficient implementation and formulation of policies aimed at developing renewable energy generation in Pacific Islands.</p>

scholarly journals Envisioning South-South relations in the fields of environmental change and migration in the Pacific Islands - past, present and futures

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eberhard Weber
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Pacific Islanders ◽  
Marshall Islands ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Migration Flows ◽  
Pacific Island Countries

Climate change poses severe threats to developing countries. Scientists predict entire states (e.g. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Maldives) will become inhabitable. People living in these states have to resettle to other countries. Media and politicians warn that climate change will trigger migration flows in dimensions unknown to date. It is feared that millions from developing countries overwhelm developed societies and increase pressures on anyway ailing social support systems destabilizing societies and becoming a potential source of conflict.Inhabitants of Pacific Islandsahave been mobile since the islands were first settled not longer than 3,500 years ago. Since then people moved around, expanded their reach, and traded with neighbouring tribes (and later countries). With the event of European powers in the 15thcentury independent mobility became restricted after the beginning of the 19thcentury. From the second half of the 19thcentury movements of people predominately served economic interests of colonial powers, in particular a huge colonial appetite for labour. After independence emigration from Pacific Island countries continued to serve economic interest of metropolitan countries at the rim of the Pacific Ocean, which are able to direct migration flows according to their economic requirements.If climate change resettlements become necessary in big numbers then Pacific Islanders do not want to become climate change refugees. To include environmental reasons in refugee conventions is not what Pacific Islanders want. They want to migrate in dignity, if it becomes unavoidable to leave their homes. There are good reasons to solve the challenges within Pacific Island societies and do not depend too much on metropolitan neighbours at the rim of the Pacific such as Australia, New Zealand and the USA. To rise to the challenge requires enhanced Pan-Pacific Island solidarity and South-South cooperation. This then would result in a reduction of dependencies. For metropolitan powers still much can be done in supporting capacity building in Pacific Island countries and helping the economies to proposer so that climate change migrants easier can be absorbed by expanding labour markets in Pacific Island countries.

scholarly journals Why Are There So Few Carbon Offset Projects in Pacific Island Countries?

2011 ◽  
pp. 101-119
Author(s):  
Paul Dargusch ◽  
Shaun McMahon ◽  
Sebastian Thomas ◽  
Ray Collins
Keyword(s):  
Clean Development Mechanism ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Policy Options ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Carbon Offset ◽  
Suitable Form ◽  
Pacific Island Countries

This article examines reasons for the lack of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects registered in Pacific Island Countries (only two of the 1699 projects registered as of 1 July 2009 were located in such countries) and assesses the potential for new project development in the region. Two groupings of CDM projects are analyzed. First, features of the eight CDM projects located in Small Island Developing States and Territories that were registered as of 1 July 2009 are examined to identify what factors have characterized successfully registered CDM projects. (No new projects have been registered in SIDS since this date, although there are more projects currently being validated.) Second, the 122 agricultural-based CDM projects registered as of 1 July 2009 are analyzed to consider how agricultural and bioenergy projects – which seem the most suitable form of CDM projects for the Pacific Islands region – can be best developed in the region. Analysis reveals that agricultural CDM projects that generate electricity have strong potential for development in the Pacific Islands. Policy options to support electricity generation projects are discussed, including the establishment of a regional CDM body, the possibility of Pacific Island countries engaging in unilateral CDM projects, and the role that ‘regional economic leaders’ such as Australia could play to assist project implementation.

scholarly journals Public policy processes in the Pacific islands: A study of policy initiation, formulation and implementation in Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Samoa and regional inter-governmental organisations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Muliagatele Ausiamanaia Potoae Roberts Aiafi
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Solomon Islands ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Effective Implementation ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Pacific Island Countries

<p>This thesis examines the manner in which public policies are initiated, formulated and implemented in Pacific island countries and regional organisations, and determines the factors which are most critical for their effective implementation. It employs narrative inquiry and grounded theory approaches, supported by the computer software Nvivo, to data collection and analysis of case studies from Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Samoa, and key regional inter-governmental organisations. 128 semi-structured interviews were drawn from ten policy cases (three for each of the Pacific island countries and one from the Region’s Pacific Plan), together with a general narrative of the policy environment spread across all four contexts. A social constructionism worldview allows for the grounding of the research and its findings for both subject and context of the study. Participant voices are utilised as rich descriptions of policy processes, triangulation provided by documentary analyses and participant observation.   Motivating this inquiry was my observation of the lack of visibly significant improvements in service delivery in Samoa and other Pacific island countries. These perceptions echoed criticisms in the literature about the slow improvement of development performance across the region despite high levels of foreign aid. Yet, such assessments often lack a solid understanding about the actual processes of public policy in the Pacific islands. Prevailing theories of public policy have remained largely westernised, and lenses to development primarily ethnocentric.  Accordingly, this study’s findings shed light on the strengths and limitations of current public policy and development scholarships evident from Pacific public policy experiences. There are five key findings: First, policy processes have remained heavily top-down, shaped significantly by political and external interests, and where society has been the neglected element. In essence, the genesis of public policy has been insufficiently rooted in the context, problems and needs to which policies have been directed. This constitutes a significant democratic and development deficit that must be addressed in ongoing public policy development. Second, the use of evidence-based policy has been limited. While existing formal policies were often those transferred from elsewhere, and which do not fit well in the receiving context and culture, the practices were ad hoc, driven by various ideological or social constructions. Third, the success of policy and its implementation depends on mutually reinforcing factors of policy culture and stakeholder support, capability, implementation modality and leadership. These factors are critical for ensuring that participation, partnership, ownership, understanding and learning are built into policy processes. Fourth, the integration of these elements into ongoing public policy development of Pacific island countries and the region requires a fundamental shift of focus about the role of society, particularly the adaptive capability of indigenous systems to legitimise notions of public policy in state-society relationships. Fifth, following a meta-analysis and synthesis of the four (country) case studies, the overall findings are conceptualised into a (explanatory) model of public policy. This model is a heuristic one that could be used when thinking about adopting and designing public policies in the Pacific islands capable of effective implementation. The model could be applied to non-Pacific small island developing states.  Finally, the model provides a framework for discussing the normative implications of this study’s findings for public policy and development theory, practice and needed future research, and yielded five broad recommendations for future improvement: (1) the centrality of context; (2) societal needs incorporated into the public policy space; (3) focus on the political dimensions of further reforms; (4) international support that is more appreciative of context; and (5) needed changes to the way in which we think about development public policy.</p>

scholarly journals Contribution of fat, sugar and salt to diets in the Pacific Islands: a systematic review

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 1858-1871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Alvin Santos ◽  
Briar McKenzie ◽  
Kathy Trieu ◽  
Sara Farnbach ◽  
Claire Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Salt Intake ◽  
Dietary Assessment ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Assessment Methods ◽  
Pacific Islanders ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Dietary Assessment Methods ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Pacific Island Countries

AbstractObjectivePacific Island countries are experiencing a high burden of diet-related non-communicable diseases; and consumption of fat, sugar and salt are important modifiable risk factors contributing to this. The present study systematically reviewed and summarized available literature on dietary intakes of fat, sugar and salt in the Pacific Islands.DesignElectronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect and GlobalHealth) were searched from 2005 to January 2018. Grey literature was also searched and key stakeholders were consulted for additional information. Study eligibility was assessed by two authors and quality was evaluated using a modified tool for assessing dietary intake studies.ResultsThirty-one studies were included, twenty-two contained information on fat, seventeen on sugar and fourteen on salt. Dietary assessment methods varied widely and six different outcome measures for fat, sugar and salt intake – absolute intake, household expenditure, percentage contribution to energy intake, sources, availability and dietary behaviours – were used. Absolute intake of fat ranged from 25·4 g/d in Solomon Islands to 98·9 g/d in Guam, while salt intake ranged from 5·6 g/d in Kiribati to 10·3 g/d in Fiji. Only Guam reported on absolute sugar intake (47·3 g/d). Peer-reviewed research studies used higher-quality dietary assessment methods, while reports from national surveys had better participation rates but mostly utilized indirect methods to quantify intake.ConclusionsDespite the established and growing crisis of diet-related diseases in the Pacific, there is inadequate evidence about what Pacific Islanders are eating. Pacific Island countries need nutrition monitoring systems to fully understand the changing diets of Pacific Islanders and inform effective policy interventions.

China may see an opening in Pacific Islands

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Development Aid ◽  
Military Regime ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
West Papua ◽  
Pacific Island Countries ◽  
Military Control

Significance Fiji returned to democracy in 2014 after being ruled by a military regime since 2006. Fiji's president, Frank Bainimarama, who was its military ruler, implemented a 'Look North' strategy to orient the island towards China. This was a response to Australia and New Zealand's attempts to end Fijian military control, but it heralds a re-ordering of Pacific Islands international fora that extends beyond Fiji's actions in this area. Impacts The Pacific Island countries will push hard for a climate change deal at COP21. Indonesia will be able to contain possible challenges to its position in (West) Papua. Development aid will be a key avenue to increasing Chinese influence in the region.

scholarly journals THE CURRENT STATUS OF MAPPING IN THE WORLD – SPOTLIGHT ON OCEANIA

2016 ◽  
Vol XLI-B4 ◽  
pp. 95-102
Author(s):  
John C. Trinder
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Airborne Lidar ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Pacific Island Countries

A summary is presented of the results of questionnaires sent to mapping agencies in Oceania, covering Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Island countries, to investigate the status of mapping in those countries. After World War II, the Australian Federal Government funded the initial small scale mapping of the whole country leading to increased percentages of map coverage of Australia. Mapping at larger scales is undertaken by the states and territories in Australia, including cadastral mapping. In New Zealand mapping is maintained by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) at 1:50,000 scale and smaller with regular updating. The results of the questionnaires also demonstrate the extent of map coverage in six Pacific Islands, but there is little information available on the actual percent coverage. Overall there are estimated to be an increases in the percentages of coverage of most map scales in Oceania. However, there appear to be insufficient professionals in most Pacific Island countries to maintain the mapping programs. Given that many Pacific Island countries will be impacted by rising sea level in the future, better mapping of these countries is essential. The availability of modern technology especially satellite images, digital aerial photography and airborne lidar data should enable the Pacific Island countries to provide better map products in future, but this would depend on foreign aid on many occasions.

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