Hasanuddin Journal of International Affairs

Regional Integration and Food Security in West Africa: Challenges, Opportunities and Sustainable Solutions

Abdulrasheed Muhammad, Ahmed Yusuf Babatunde — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Regional integration and food security are pivotal aspects of sustainable development, especially in the context of West Africa. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) represents one of the regional arrangements on political cooperation and economic integration in Africa. While regional integration holds the promise of bolstering food security through collective efforts, its success in fostering food security has encountered a myriad of challenges in West Africa. This study analyzed the problems and potential opportunities of regional integration in West Africa. From the analysis, it became evident that the ECOWAS faces unique challenges and opportunities as it strives to achieve a balance between economic collaboration and ensuring an adequate stable food supply for its growing population. Some of the problems of regional integration in West Africa include trade barriers, lack of unified agricultural policy, border issues and environmental problems. Notwithstanding these problems, collaboration within the ECOWAS framework presents avenues for member countries to unlock economic potential, foster stability, and collectively address food security challenges. It is therefore recommended that the ECOWAS needs to adopt a common agricultural policy, implement water management strategies, develop various market information systems and embark on different capacity building programmes in order to ensure food security among ECOWAS countries.

The Concept of International Security

Abhaya Shekhar Adhikari — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

To grasp the idea of international security, it is crucial to clarify the broader notion of security. A full understanding of international security can only be attained once the concept of security is comprehended. The shift in the understanding of security from the traditional approach to a more expansive one has created challenges in defining what security truly entails, resulting in it being considered as an essentially contested concept. Nevertheless, it is important not to use this disagreement as an excuse to avoid providing one's own definition. It is imperative to establish one's own conceptualization of security before delving into any work on security. This study formulates a comprehensive conceptualization of security reinstating the special role of state in security affairs that has been shadowed by the expansionist concept. The paper then applies the framework to conceptualize international security taking into consideration the unique complexities associated with the global context.

Analisis Diskursus Indonesia dalam Forum The Archipelagic Island and State (AIS) 2023

Syahri Ridani — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum is a platform for island nations, regardless of their region, size, or level of development, aimed at addressing global challenges related to the sustainable use of marine resources, climate change resilience, marine pollution, emergency management, and the promotion of sustainable fisheries. Countries use international forums as the main instruments to tackle common issues in global politics. These forums are crucial for dialogue, where delegates meet and communicate through verbal and non-verbal language to express their concerns, share their views, and work towards reaching agreements. Initiated by Indonesia, the forum fosters new discourse among various international actors. This phenomenon raises the research question: How does Indonesia introduce and shape the discourse on marine development, climate change mitigation, and marine pollution management within the AIS Forum? The paper employs a constructivist paradigm to answer this research question, examining how Indonesia brings these issues into the AIS Forum, thereby creating a social construct within it. The research will utilize a qualitative, interpretative approach, employing data triangulation techniques that include interviews, literature reviews, and necessary documents. Consequently, the data sources will be secondary data.

The Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) atau Forum Negara Kepulauan adalah sebuah platform bagi negara-negara kepulauan tanpa memandang wilayah, ukuran dan tingkat pembangunannya yang memiliki inisiasi global untuk mengatasi tantangan penggunanaan sumber daya laut untuk pertumbuhan ekonomi berkelanjutan, ketahanan terhadap perubahan iklim, polusi laut, manajemen darurat dan peningkatan perikanan berkelanjutan. Didalam forum ini terdapat aktor dalam hubungan internasional yang memiliki pengaruh dalam regional maupun internasional di bidang kemaritiman karena terdapat kesepakatan didalam forum tersebut yang di prakarsai oleh Indonesia sehingga memunculkan diskursus baru bagi beberapa aktor dalam hubungan internasional, oleh karena itu dari fenomena ini memunculkan pertanyaan penelitian bahwa bagaimana Indonesia membawa diskursus sektor pembangunan kelautan, mitigasi perubahan iklim dan penanggulangan pencemaran laut di forum AIS. Untuk menjawab pertanyaan penelitian ini, makalah ini akan menggunakan paradigma kontruktivisme. Teori ini akan melihat bagaimana Indonesia membawa diskursus ini ke dalam forum The Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) sehingga menciptakan kontruksi sosial di dalam forum AIS. Penelitian ini akan menggunakan metode penelitian kualitatif yang bersifat interpretatif dengan teknik pengumpulan data triangulasi dengan mengambil data kolaborasi wawancara, studi Pustaka dan juga dokumen yang diperlukan sehingga sumber data yang akan diperoleh ialah data sekunder.

Jakpreneur sebagai Upaya Pemerintah Provinsi DKI Jakarta Mempersiapkan ketahanan UMKM dalam menghadapi RCEP

Yosua Saut Marulitua Gultom, Riesky Ramdhani Saefulloh, Azzahra Maharani — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This article examines the opportunities and challenges faced by the Jakarta Provincial Government's initiative through the Jakpreneur program in improving the resilience of MSMEs amid the complexity of the RCEP regional trade agreement. This research is qualitative-based with a literature study with the concepts of economic resilience and MSMEs in International Relations. RCEP emphasizes the importance of MSMEs as a way to overcome the challenges of developing countries in the global supply chain. In Jakarta, the Jakpreneur program aims to empower MSMEs through training, access to financing, market linkages, and policy support, preparing them to take advantage of RCEP opportunities. The author highlights the interaction between Jakpreneur and RCEP, providing policy recommendations to strengthen MSMEs to face the free market. The conclusion of the article emphasizes the importance of special and different treatment for developing countries in RCEP, as well as the role of Jakpreneur in facilitating Jakarta MSMEs. Challenges faced include low competitiveness, limited access to financing, and inadequate infrastructure, but there are opportunities such as broader market access, international cooperation, and access to technology that can improve the competitiveness and efficiency of Jakarta MSMEs.

Artikel ini mengkaji peluang dan tantangan yang dihadapi oleh inisiatif Pemerintah Provinsi DKI Jakarta melalui program Jakpreneur dalam meningkatkan ketahanan Usaha Mikro, Kecil, dan Menengah (UMKM) di tengah kompleksitas perjanjian perdagangan regional RCEP. Penulis dalam penelitian ini berbasis kualitatif untuk melihat bagaimana Jakpreneur berperan dalam menghadapi RCEP. RCEP menekankan pentingnya UMKM sebagai cara mengatasi tantangan negara berkembang dalam rantai pasokan global. Di Jakarta, program Jakpreneur bertujuan memberdayakan UMKM melalui pelatihan, akses pembiayaan, hubungan pasar, dan dukungan kebijakan, mempersiapkan mereka untuk memanfaatkan peluang RCEP. Penulis menyoroti interaksi antara Jakpreneur dan RCEP, memberikan gambaran deskriptif terhadap Jakpreneur untuk memperkuat UMKM menghadapi pasar bebas. Kesimpulan artikel menegaskan pentingnya special and different treatmentuntuk negara berkembang dalam RCEP, serta peran Jakpreneur dalam memfasilitasi UMKM Jakarta. Tantangan yang dihadapi meliputi daya saing rendah, keterbatasan akses pembiayaan, dan infrastruktur yang kurang memadai, namun terdapat peluang seperti akses pasar yang lebih luas, kerja sama internasional, dan akses teknologi yang dapat meningkatkan daya saing dan efisiensi UMKM Jakarta.

Ethio-Telecom Reform: An Assessment from the Perspective of Homegrown Economic Reform and the Imperatives of Economic Globalization

Diriba Adugna Tulu — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This article explores the Ethio-Telecom reform within the context of the Homegrown Economic Reform (HGER) initiated by the Ethiopian government and the imperatives of economic globalization. Its main objective is to analyze the extent to which the Ethio-Telecom reform within the HGER agenda is genuinely homegrown and new by considering internal dynamics and external influences. In order to achieve the intended aims, the article employed a qualitative approach, which includes the analysis of existing work surveys and document examination. To this end, the work has relied primarily on secondary data sources. The article argues that the Ethiopian HGER, with a specific focus on the Ethio-Telecom sector reform, reflects a mix of endogenous factors and external influences, with ongoing debates regarding its authenticity and alignment with domestic priorities. Moving forward, it should balance external support with local perspectives to avoid being perceived as a replication of external models.

Challenges and Triumphs of Democratisation in Mongolia

Souvik Chatterjee — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The major socio-political change in Mongolia was the change of political system from one-party socialist to multi-party democracy in 1990s. The political liberalisation of ideas- the change of economic system, inauguration of the new constitution in 1992 and the first ever free parliamentary elections are the key features of the Mongolia’s Democratic revolution. The importance of researching democratic consolidation in Mongolia can be underscored in several keyways. Firstly, Mongolia serves as an exemplary case of a nation that has transitioned positively towards democracy in a global landscape where democracy often remains an outlier rather than the norm. From the events that Mongolia had to overcome and the knowledge that was gained, there is much to learn on how democratisation processes could be maintained in transitional societies. Qualitative research approach is fitting for this study since it enables the researcher to gain an insight into subjective experiences as well as perceptions of those who are either involved in or affected by a democratic transition in Mongolia.

Findings of this research highlights Mongolia's democratisation process both possibilities as well as difficulties involved. Mongolia has done fairly well in terms of institutionalising democracy, but numerous challenges are still persistent which require continuous attention and concerted efforts being made towards addressing them. By introducing strategic reforms, endorsing comprehensive development, fostering transparency culture and nurturing a sense of accountability within state institutions Mongolia can reinforce further consolidation of its democratic gains.