Europe and ASEAN

 Europe must prioritize strengthening ties with ASEAN, recognizing its political and economic significance and the region's rapid development and future-oriented investments. This strategic focus is essential in the evolving global geopolitical landscape.

Indonesia's symbolic military presence: Indonesia's exclusive invitation to the Bastille Day parade in Paris highlights its importance as a major Muslim-majority country and a key ASEAN member, reflecting France's and the EU's recognition of ASEAN's growing influence.
ASEAN as a strategic partner: The EU should view ASEAN as a vital ally, given the region's economic progress and investment in sectors like healthcare and retirement living, which offer opportunities for European engagement.
Competition with China: Europe faces direct competition from China, which is deepening its economic and digital cooperation with ASEAN, despite maritime disputes involving some ASEAN members and China's expanding influence in the region.
EU as a balancing force: The EU can serve as a stabilizing influence between China’s growing dominance and the unpredictability of U.S. policy, emphasizing support for multilateralism and cultural exchange to overcome geopolitical and cultural barriers.

AI summary of my opinion piece in today's Diário de Notícia (Lisboa), 18 July 2025.

The Rohingya refugees need our support

The EU has no clear approach towards the “boat people”, the illegal immigrants that come across the Mediterranean Sea. The same should not be said about Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, when it comes to their “boat people”. These migrants are displaced populations coming from Myanmar. Many of them are from the Rohingya ethnic group, a marginalised Muslim population that lives in the Rakhine State of Myanmar, a coastal area near Bangladesh. In Southeast Asia the policy is clear: repair their boat, give them some food and water and push them to the sea. The results are shocking, of course. The images show the extreme misery of men, women and children, they capture distressing faces of punishing suffering.

We might criticise the European confused policy. But we should be loud and clear in our condemnation of the cruelty the Southeast nations are showing towards the Rohingya. And we should also add that the Rohingya meet all the criteria that define a refugee population. They should therefore be treated as such.