Delivered Thursday. He is more interested in attracting financial assistance, and China has not disappointed. Fig. For Future Tuesdays Ben Bland presented his Future Screens NI Rewriting the Narrative funded project Neoco: Tools & Patterns for Progressive Operations. Have enjoyed my time in Australia & at Lowy, working with an amazing bunch of smart, insightful people." While the pandemic has dented economic growth in Indonesia,the countrys medium-term prospects are robust. Bland highlights many of Jokowis actions which have undermined Indonesias already flawed democracy notably, diluting the nations anti-corruption agency, creating his own family political dynasty, and his appeasement of conservative Islam and intolerance and of violence towards religious minorities and the LGBT community. As well as understanding the opportunities, the British government needs to be clear-eyedabout the risks in Southeast Asia, where there are few truly like-minded nations. Keen to coax Jokowi into taking action, one adviser made the case in terms that the President might accept more readily. If the UK government is serious about competing with China, it has endless avenues to workwith both governments and civil society in Southeast Asia to demonstrate the benefits ofengaging with democracies that respect human rights, value environmental protections andembrace transparency and openness. In a later video, Ben told the camera: "Well, here is one last clue. But to my mind, the clear message from Blands text is that optimists will be far more disappointed than the pessimists. I focused on Southeast Asia during myundergraduate History degree at the University of Cambridge and have an MA in SoutheastAsian Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. It took only a short while, however, for complaints to emerge. It comes after Ben joined BBC Breakfast as a business correspondent, with Naga Munchetty and Jon Kay left thrilled by the big news - and fans were just as excited. The key to successful interactions with ASEAN therefore lies in a twin approach, engagingwith the organisations secretariat and the annual chair, on the one hand, while alsopursuing intensive consultations with all ten member-states. As the Egyptian economy falters, Sisi is turning to the Chinese government for support. 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More information on Neoco can be found here:https://neoco.io/, Ben Bland is a leader within the digital industries, spearheading developments in online marketing and e-commerce, digital strategy, and wider tech startup consulting & entrepreneurship. Governments, parliamentarians, businesses, universities andothers in both countries will have to work together to increase awareness about Indonesia inthe UK and foster a better mutual understanding. 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And the President rarely spoke about it again, not even mentioning foreign policy or maritime issues in his second-term inauguration speech in 2019. That is even more so in the case of Jokowi. BBC Breakfast business correspondent Ben Boulos has announced a huge move in his broadcasting career after making his debut on the morning programme. Not everyone was sure whether she was worth it though, National park that inspired Avatar has 'floating' mountains and towering cliffs, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan Province, China, was the inspiration behind Pandora's floating Hallelujah Mountains with its column-like cliffs and glass walkway, Sexpert shares top five sex trends to watch out for in 2023 like praise kinks. BBC Breakfast business correspondent Ben Boulos - best known for appearing alongside hosts like Naga Munchetty, Dan Walker and Sally Nugent - announced the news on social media, Sign up for the Daily Star TV newsletter for the biggest TV news. But, at the same time, he replaced Tom Lembong, an effective salesman for Indonesia in global financial markets, with a low-profile figure as the head of the investment promotion board. 26. Securing Dialogue Partner statuswith the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) provides a great platform on whichto build these linkages. The ASEAN Outlook on the IndoPacific, which was adopted in 2019, was little more than a restatement of ASEANs main principles: peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for international law and, most importantly, non-interference in other nations internal affairs. He cheekily added: "(*creative licence may have been used in this description)". 10. Thisshould be supported by deepening the UKs strategic conversations and cooperation onSoutheast Asia with other important partners such as the US, Australia, the EU and Japan. With a deep-seated aversion to liberal economics, Indonesia will not wholeheartedly embrace free markets and free trade any time soon, Bland writes. Jokowi, as the president is known, is a fascinating personality a man who leapt from being a furniture maker to city mayor (of Solo and Jakarta) and then on to lead Indonesia. ar, and how can we apply those lessons to make sure we dont sleepwalk into yet another war? Tom is over there, bending Jane's ear about We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Ben Bland's new book on Jokowi will be released next week.. Hong Kong: is one country, two systems under threat? Despite the deep historical roots of Indonesias contemporary aversion to alliances, some Western officials continue mistakenly to believe that Indonesias warm words signal a desire to become much more engaged in regional and global issues. 17. You can see more of Ben Bland on Youtube by just New resources should be concentrated in countries that are important but difficult tonavigate, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand. Rather, it should focus on specific issuesand geographic areas in order to make the most of finite diplomatic, development andmilitary resources. Britains renewed enthusiasm in Southeast Asia means, among other tasks, negotiating the idiosyncrasies of ASEAN. Bland quotes former Indonesian Finance Minister Chatib Basri, who once told him: Indonesia always disappoints. Ben Bland paints an insightful and intriguing portrait of Indonesia's leader in his new book, Man of Contradictions: Joko Widodo and the struggle to remake Indonesia. 1. The panelists included Anne Richards, CEO of Fidelity International; Carmine Di Sibio, CEO of Ernst & Young; Mathias Miedreich, CEO of Umicore; and Lubna S. Olayan, chair of the executive committee of Olayan Financing Company. As a large developing nation, and the worlds fourth most populous, Indonesias voiceis important and the UK should listen to Jakartas concerns and cooperate on areas ofmutual interest, such as reform of the WTO. Jokowis foreign policy has always been unpredictable, seesawing between nationalism and globalism. Despite good relations between ASEAN member-states, domestic politics remain unstable incertain key countries and there are pockets of turbulence elsewhere. And it is the best way tosupport Southeast Asian nations sovereignty and independence. It was a genuine reflection of how he sees the world. His decision was sparked by constant confusion between him and a former Financial Times journalist in Australia called Benjamin Bland, with Boulos often receiving messages intended for the other Mr Bland. The expansion of the Indonesian middleclass will offer many opportunities for British companies willing to navigate the sometimes complicated but often rewarding business scene in Indonesia. It raises the question: How do companies with large global footprints decide which side to pick? Neoco includes over 240 tools, 50 published guides, 16 case studies and much more. That will require more personnel, more expertise and more financial resources. Lowy Institute. Economic diplomacy, encompassing development cooperation but focused on boostingtrade and investment, should be a major focus. Before joining the Lowy Institute, I was a correspondent for the Financial Times for a decade,with postings in Jakarta, Hanoi and Hong Kong. He is the author of Man of Contradictions: Joko Widodo and the Struggle to Remake Indonesia and Generation HK: Seeking Identity in Chinas Shadow. I have wondered whether changing from the name Bland is somehow disloyal to the memory of my great-grandmothers wise decision, without which I may not be here. In just nine years he went from small town businessman to Indonesian President.AP. The UK will get more out of Dialogue Partner status if ituses it to help the region tackle such issues, including pandemic recovery, boostingeconomic growth and mitigating climate change. Indonesia, sadly, is littleknown in the UK. In early 2020, as the economy showed signs of weakness while still chugging along at 5 per cent growth, Jokowi asked his ambassadors to put "70-80 per cent" of their focus on economic diplomacy. BBC journalist Ben Bland has changed his surname to Boulos to celebrate his heritage. Both times he flew out to the Natuna Islands, near the disputed waters at the southern tip of the South China Sea, and asserted his willingness to defend Indonesian sovereignty. Boulous is a regular presenter on BBC World News, BBC One and the BBC News channel, and has also appeared on BBC Breakfast. A whirlwind of online diplomatic speed-dating doesnt allow the impromptu conversations where real business is done. In 2015, Jokowi authorised the execution of more than a dozen drug traffickers, many of whom were foreign citizens, despite concerns about the impact on international relations. / Twitter JavaScript is Put Southeast Asia at the centre of the UKs Indo-Pacific Tilt. Ben Boulos nee Bland Anyone follow this 37 year old BBC News commentator. We are a local music group in the San Luis Valley who is very verse in music styles. A curated selection of our very best long reads. But it was, like so many political speeches, heavy on buzzwords, thin on policy and designed to be all things to all people. Put Southeast Asia at the centre of the UKs Indo-Pacific Tilt. At the Lowy Institute, he also wrote analysis papers examining the state of Indonesian democracy and the potential for the Australia-India-Indonesia trilateral relationship, among other research projects. Historically theUK has framed its Southeast Asian engagement around its former colonies: Malaysia,Singapore and Brunei. Jokowi was referring to the founding principle of Indonesias engagement with the world, that it should be "free and active", or bebas dan aktif. We use September 15 Indonesia and the Philippines, the only ASEAN member-states with truly competitiveelectoral systems, have experienced a decline in the quality of their democracy, withgovernments critics and civil society groups under growing pressure. Boris Pistorius, a longtime politician with little foreign-policy experience, will host his counterparts later this week to discuss Ukraine. Join in-depth conversations and interact with foreign-policy experts with. Ben Bland is a research fellow at the Lowy Institute and the author of Generation HK: Seeking Identity in Chinas Shadow and the forthcoming Man of Contradictions: Joko Widodo and the Struggle to Remake Indonesia. The resignation of the ageing president last week shows the National League for Democracy needs leadership renewal. Am a bit concerned that my abuse meter will rise now though.. The Lowy Institute acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, the traditional custodians of the land on which the Institute stands, and pays respects to their elders, past and present. The UK should also use Dialogue Partner status as a platform to deepen its strategicconversations and practical cooperation with other Dialogue Partners that share Britainsobjectives and values, chiefly the US, Australia, Japan, South Korea, as well as the EU and itsmost influential members-states France and Germany. Delivered Wednesday. An interesting regional precedent is set by the decision to stop the junta leader attending upcoming summit meetings. Watch the full interview for insights on how industry thinks about deglobalization, the U.S.-China rivalry, the war in Ukraine, and much more. They believed Indonesia should act as a mediating power in south-east Asia, alleviating the growing regional frictions with China. Influencer shows off booty workout as fans troll her for 'uncomfortable' outfit, Mum-of-three Tammy Hembrow shared a clip of her leg day on Instagram where followers couldn't help but notice what she was wearing for the gruelling booty workout. 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The journalist has explained that he will now use the name Ben Boulos in his professional and daily life, and has changed his name across his social media accounts. In discussing it with my father, to make sure he would not be offended or upset by it, he reminded me that Bland itself was a chosen name. A personal update: after three great years at @LowyInstitute, I'm leaving next month to take up a new role as director of the Asia-Pacific programme at He continued: Every name tells a story and I want mine to give a more complete picture of who I am. 32. Ben shared key insights from researching and building Neoco over the last year. There are few quick wins in Southeast Asia and the UK faces many risks as well asopportunities in the region. "Good to see you back in the big chair, behind the big black desk!" The UK also needs to enhance its engagement with civil society in Indonesia, which remainsthe most vibrant democracy in Southeast Asia, despite recent pressures on human rights. 34. Ben Bland on Twitter: "A personal update: after three great years at @LowyInstitute, I'm leaving next month to take up a new role as director of the Asia-Pacific programme at @ChathamHouse in London. It is also partly down to the ability of Jokowi, and his officials, to encourage people to see what they want in him and in Indonesia. I like to think she would feel happy about that and see my decision as being driven, much like hers, by pragmatism in response to shifting attitudes instead of feeling bound by sentimental obligation to a sequence of letters chosen a century ago., Followers congratulated Boulous on his name change, while his name buddy Benjamin Bland tweeted: Congrats on the new name Ben. When Chinese encroachment into Indonesias fishing grounds led to tense incidents involving the Indonesian coast guard and navy in 2016 and 2020, Jokowis response was more symbolic than substantive. Ben Bland shows even pessimists can be gulled by Joko Widodos charms. He is interested in attracting investment from whomever has the most cash and the fewest conditions. FPs Winter 2023 print issue brings together 12 experts to help us answer those questions. Malaysia lacks a stablegoverning coalition. Delivered Monday-Friday. It lags way behind countries such as South Korea, China, Singapore and Malaysia in terms of hospital places, critical care beds, doctors and money spent on health. But as I reached the end, I was yearning for more of his views on what could happen next in the Indonesia story. But the UK has much to offer as a partner and an important roleto play, alongside others, in helping Southeast Asia to overcome the challenges that it faces. Ben has a twenty-year career split between London and Belfast, working within agencies, small-to-medium size businesses, NGOs, and as a freelancer. And by his second term, this outsider had become firmly embedded in elite politics. He wrote: "Its been a while but due to huge, unprecedented, overwhelming public demand* Ill be back in the chair tomorrow (Friday) on @bbcnews channel/@bbctwo from 0900GMT & BBC World News from 1000GMT. Weekly update on developments in India and its neighbors. At times, he has demonstrated a steeliness that took outsiders by surprise. Indonesian President Joko Widodo has a laser-like focus on promoting economic growth, sothe best way to get his backing is to support his ambitions to build more physicalinfrastructure, improve education and healthcare, and accelerate the shift to a digitaleconomy. http://loopers.co/. When the Philippines in 2016 won a landmark legal ruling against Chinas "nine-dash line" its claim to the resources of much of the South China Sea Indonesias response was muted. Jokowi has struggled to contain the virus this year. If the UK is to live up to the governments ambitions in the Indo-Pacific, the Foreign,Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) will need to enhance its engagement acrossthe region. As Bland quite rightly points out, Jokowi has no time for great power politics. Has Joko Widodos Power Peaked in Indonesi Indeed, Indonesias new experiment with democracy has, in many respects, been hijacked by the dark forces that held the country back before. I still speak and understand Arabic conversationally, although I have never learned to read and write the language (it remains an ambition to be tackled sometime). The two also discussed climate cooperation with China, the road to COP28, and much else. Jokowi duly unveiled this rather woolly concept in Naypyidaw, Myanmars bizarre and empty purpose-built capital, to an audience of world leaders, including Barack Obama, Dmitry Medvedev, Li Keqiang and Shinzo Abe. 25. 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