As the UN General Assembly entered its 80th year this September, frustration over the body's seeming paralysis reached a breaking point.
From the war in Gaza to conflicts in Ukraine and Africa, the international system built after World War II is straining under the weight of modern crises.
To some, the UN's inability to stop wars or enforce resolutions signals its decline.
To others — like Indonesia's new president, Prabowo Subianto — it represents an opportunity to rebuild and reform the institution for the 21st century.
Before taking office, Prabowo made clear that Indonesia would no longer sit quietly on the sidelines of global affairs.
His vision seeks to empower the Global South — the majority of the world's population and an increasingly vital share of its economy — within a reenergized, more equitable international order.
His approach is not to dismantle the postwar system, but to strengthen it through reform, credibility, and inclusion.
At the heart of Prabowo's vision is a uniquely Indonesian balance of multilateralism and self-reliance.
His government has launched one of the most ambitious development programs in Indonesia’s history. Central to this effort is Danantara Indonesia, a sovereign wealth fund valued at nearly US$1 trillion, designed to channel the country's vast mineral wealth into domestic processing, infrastructure, and high-tech industries.
Revenues are fueling nationwide investments in digital connectivity and social programs — from free lunches and health checks for schoolchildren to ambitious healthcare and education reforms — aimed at building a healthier, more productive, and cohesive society.
These domestic achievements are giving Indonesia a stronger voice abroad.
Prabowo has managed a rare diplomatic feat in today’s polarized world: maintaining productive relationships with Washington, Beijing, Brussels, and Moscow alike.
He secured tariff and investment deals with the United States under President Trump, is finalizing a trade pact with the European Union, and continues to deepen ties with China.
Meanwhile, he has strengthened relations with France, the Gulf states, Africa, and Latin America, all while preserving Indonesia’s connection with Russia.
This is not fence-sitting, Prabowo insists, but a deliberate assertion of independence, "Indonesia is too big, too proud, and too independent to fall into anyone’s camp."
His aim is to position Indonesia as a bridge-builder — charting a course based on mutual respect, not alignment.
Nowhere is Prabowo's global leadership more visible than in his advocacy for Gaza.
For Indonesians, solidarity with Palestinians transcends politics; it is rooted in their nation's anti-colonial struggle and shared Muslim faith.
Yet Prabowo has avoided empty rhetoric, opting instead for concrete humanitarian action.
He secured Israel’s permission to overfly its territory to deliver Indonesian aid into Gaza and offered to deploy up to 20,000 peacekeepers if the UN authorizes an international mission.
He has even pledged to recognize Israel once it recognizes a Palestinian state—an unprecedented gesture of balanced diplomacy in the Muslim world.
In doing so, Prabowo has positioned Indonesia as one of the few nations offering both moral clarity and actionable solutions.
He has made his case at the World Government Summit, BRICS Summit, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and before the Turkish Parliament and leaders from France, Malaysia, and Russia.
His message remains consistent: that justice for Palestinians is not merely a regional issue, but a test of the credibility of the entire international system.
Yet Prabowo’s call for reform extends beyond Gaza.
He has urged the creation of a stronger UN General Assembly and a reformed Security Council that better reflects today's geopolitical realities, including representation for the Global South.
His argument is simple: nations that were absent from the 1945 world order now deserve a voice in shaping its future.
Western powers, often skeptical of rhetoric from the developing world, may underestimate Prabowo’s capacity to deliver.
But his words are backed by decisive action. Indonesia is modernizing its military to protect critical sea lanes, strengthen border security, and enhance its contributions to UN peacekeeping operations.
The goal, Prabowo emphasizes, is not to project power but to participate responsibly in collective global security.
Indonesia’s growing influence is rooted in its democratic resilience and historic commitment to independence.
The world’s third-largest democracy and largest Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia has long served as a model of pluralism and pragmatism.
Its people still take pride in the 1955 Bandung Conference, which birthed the Non-Aligned Movement and established the principle that newly independent nations could chart their own course.
Prabowo seeks to revive that Bandung spirit—this time with Indonesia as a central actor in shaping a fairer and more inclusive world order.
He warns that without genuine reform, institutions like the UN will become irrelevant, their rules selectively enforced by the powerful while the weak go unprotected.
While many nations issue statements about UN reform, Indonesia stands out for pairing rhetoric with a tangible plan.
Prabowo's proposal envisions a UN empowered to enforce peace, an international economic system that prioritizes development over domination, and mechanisms that give emerging economies meaningful influence over global decisions.
His government's blend of economic innovation, diplomatic agility, and moral conviction makes Indonesia a credible driver of that change.
In a moment of crisis for multilateralism, Indonesia’s example is a reminder that new energy and leadership can still come from the world’s emerging democracies.
Prabowo's challenge to the UN is not to abandon its founding ideals but to live up to them.
If the international order is to endure, it will need the counsel — and the courage — of nations like Indonesia: independent, inclusive, and committed to turning words into action.
Duggan Flanakin is a senior policy analyst at the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow who writes on a wide variety of public policy issues. Read Duggan Flanakin's reports — More Here.
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