I served as foreign minister of the Republic of Indonesia in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Second United Cabinet between 2009 and 2014. It has been a humbling experience — following in the footsteps of those who have ably served the nation and capping nearly three decades of diplomatic service — one that has indelibly shaped my world view and Indonesia's place within it.

That world view is one of an Indonesia whose conduct has the capacity to mould the region's affairs, earning it a position of leadership. It is one of an Indonesia that has a proud tradition of constructive activism in global affairs beyond its immediate shores and direct interests. It is of an Indonesia that pursues an independent and active policy — a capacity for independent decision-making in a complex and ever-changing world. It is of an Indonesia that presents itself as a regional power with global interests, a country that can be entrusted to be part of the solution, a bridge-builder for the varied challenges confronting the community of nations. It is of an Indonesia secure in a world of change, pursuing a million friends and zero enemies on the basis of the principles of mutual respect and benefit. And it is an Indonesia confident in the strength of its democracy.

Foreign Policy in an Interconnected World

My years implementing and formulating Indonesia's foreign policy rested on the firm belief that, ultimately, Indonesia's foreign policy cannot be divorced from its internal, national setting. We use the term intermestic to describe the inseparability of the international and domestic environments. To successfully navigate the world of the twenty-first century, the choice, indeed, is not between domestic or external priorities; instead, the two must be made to work seamlessly. Strenuous efforts must be made to ensure that there is a mutually reinforcing synergy between the internal and external dynamics. While this has been true throughout Indonesia's history, the linkage between the national and international milieus has become even more pronounced in the contemporary globalized era. The distinctions between the local, national, regional and global levels have become ever more blurred. Indeed, the distinctions between political, economic and social issues have become ever more tenuous.