UNS – The International Relations Study Program (HI) of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) and the ASEAN Study Center of the Research and Community Service Institute (LPPM) at Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta participated in a Forum Group Discussion (FGD) to gather input from various stakeholders. This FGD was organized by the Directorate of ASEAN Socio-Cultural Cooperation (Dit. KSBA) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) of the Republic of Indonesia (RI). Representing the HI Program and the ASEAN Study Center at the FGD were Septyanto Galan Prakoso as the speaker and Bintang Indra Wibisono as the moderator.
Themed “Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Management in ASEAN,” the event took place at the Grand Mercure Solo Baru Hotel on Tuesday (16/7/2024). Septyanto Galan Prakoso, a lecturer from the HI Program at FISIP UNS, opened the FGD session with the sub-theme “Strengthening ASEAN Humanitarian Action Cooperation: An Academic Review.” He stated that ASEAN‘s humanitarian action cooperation is practically well-established, as evidenced by regional agreements like the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) and humanitarian aid provided during events like the Palu earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, from an academic perspective, the cooperation still needs improvement, particularly in research. He noted that research related to ASEAN humanitarian aid is still limited, whereas academic studies are crucial for the government in addressing these issues. “Therefore, we recommend optimizing the role of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) and ASEAN Youth in providing data-based policy recommendations related to humanitarian aid,” Septyanto explained.
Additionally, Leonard Felix Hutabarat, from the Center for Multilateral Policy Strategy of the Foreign Policy Strategy Agency, highlighted the challenges of humanitarian action cooperation and the need to expand ASEAN’s role in disaster management. He also emphasized the importance of non-state actors in humanitarian aid and disaster response.
Nara Masista Rakhmatia from the Directorate of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs presented on International Cooperation Actions in a global context during the first FGD session. Meanwhile, stakeholders and ASEAN partners in disaster management filled the second FGD session. This session featured Rachmawati Husein, Head of the Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center; Tomy Hendrajati, President of Human Initiative; Prasetio Wijaksono from the Legal and Cooperation Bureau of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB); and Dafri Agus Salim, Head of the ASEAN Studies Center at UGM.
HUMAS UNS
Editor: Dwi Hastuti
