Indonesia is set to host an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) blue economy forum this Friday and Saturday in Banyuwangi, a coastal district in East Java province.
This event will bring together representatives from ASEAN member states, East Asia Summit countries, and Pacific Islands Forum members to share ideas and best practices on sustainable ocean development.
The forum is jointly organized by Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, in cooperation with New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Banyuwangi is chosen as a host location, which is not accidental. The district has built a strong reputation for successfully combining marine conservation with fisheries, tourism, small businesses, and economic development, all at the same time.
Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry official Adhyanti Sardanarini Wirajuda said Banyuwangi offers a real-life development model that the country wants to share with its regional partners.
The blue economy refers to the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth in things like fishing, aquaculture, marine tourism, shipping, and renewable ocean energy, while at the same time protecting the health of marine ecosystems.
For a region like Southeast Asia, which is surrounded by the world’s richest and most biodiverse waters, the blue economy is not just an environmental issue.
It is an economic and food security issue as well as millions of people across the region depend on the ocean for their livelihoods every day.
Additionally, the Southeast Asian seas are under great pressure. Overfishing, plastic pollution, coral reef degradation, and the effects of climate change are all threatening the health of the region’s oceans. At the same time, demand for seafood and maritime resources is growing fast.
These forums give a chance for countries to sit together, share their workings, and build a common approach to managing their shared marine resources more effectively.
With Pacific Island nations also attending, the conversation extends beyond Southeast Asia to one of the most ocean-dependent regions on Earth.
Indonesia, a country made up of over 17,000 islands with the second-longest coastline in the world, is the natural leader on this issue.
Hosting this forum sends a clear message that Jakarta wants to play a central role in shaping how Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific region manage their ocean resources in the future.
Source: Thediplomaticinsight
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<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
