Author: Mahbi Maulay
Presence Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) considered to be a violent lightning bolt that’s shaking the world’s society. The deadly virus has killed many individuals and brought a large-scale economic recession to countless states in Southeast Asia. The region’s preeminent intergovernmental organization, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), also faces insurmountable obstacles, either in fulfilling its role as a regional body or in achieving its short- and long-term goals.
Although ASEAN has faced criticism for its slow response (Gomez, 2020), it has undertaken and planned many efforts to defeat the virus. These include aligning Member States’ commitment and collective motion through a series of meetings via videoconferencing, energetic engagement in information exchange, and planning for the establishment of ASEAN funds for the Covid-19 response (ASEAN, 2020; ASEAN b, 2020), a channel to supply essential medical supplies for the necessity for frontline and preventive actions in all Member States (Septiari, 2020).
Needless to say, Covid-19 is a world problem. Therefore, it will not be even an exaggeration to suggest that the study of diplomacy (IR) can play a task in providing meaningful advice or discussion of those issues.
As the concept of ASEAN vs. COVID-19 the query arises; “What IR Theory Can Provide Guidance for ASEAN?”
Neofunctionalism is a theory rooted within the liberalism school of thought. The theory comes from the work of Ernst B. Haas entitled “Beyond the nation-state: functionalism and international organization”, published in 1964
Even though neofunctionalism was considered an outdated theory by its creator, it has been hailed as probably the most vital theories explaining blood, veins, organs, and regional integration/body maneuvers.
Neo-functionalism argues that the efforts of regional bodies and cooperation between states to enhance human well-being may be undertaken effectively if professionals (who’ve mastered specific fields reminiscent of doctors, engineers, economists, lecturers, etc.) are given a more dominant role (Hadiwinata, 2017 ). In other words, the role of politicians, which in certain circumstances brings certain own advantages, is vaguely limited (but this doesn’t mean that it’s abolished).
Three basic the reason why neo-functionalism prefers to imagine in experts reasonably than politicians to attain the goals of regional cooperation; 1.) the success of pros is bigger because they’re good in the sector related to the goal, 2.) professionals are generally indoctrinated to learn from mistakes, 3.) professionals assume that responsibility is an important thing to bear.
So far, ASEAN still wants to extend the dominance of politicians over experts. Considering that the atmosphere of cooperation in ASEAN has only been coloured by the massive number of presidency meetings, this opinion is subsequently not unfounded. According to the official ASEAN website, a minimum of fourteen meetings were held between March and April, either between ministries or heads of presidency of ASEAN member states.
Government cooperation is crucial. However, cooperation shouldn’t be based solely on “numbers” and “data”.
ASEAN leaders shouldn’t neglect the attitude and participation of experts within the decision-making process. Apart from the shortage of self-interest, experts are actors whose task is to investigate reality on the “battlefield”. They recognize every problem brought on by Covid-19 with an in-depth take a look at science-based glasses. Therefore, it is cheap to argue that they’re those who can provide more accurate analyzes and suggestions.
ASEAN leaders have indeed engaged experts within the fight against Covid-19. However, the scope for experts’ motion remains to be not significant.
If ASEAN leaders are asked to make sure broad expert participation, what should they do?
Let’s learn lessons from what ASEAN has done.
To provide a forum for dialogue on security and defense issues, ASEAN has established a platform called the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADM). In achieving its goal, ADMM didn’t hesitate to ask experts to participate. Look at one example when it was 12vol 2018 ASEAN Defense Minister and Expert Working Group on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (ADMM-PLUS EWG on HADR) Meeting.
On this issue, ASEAN could provide a platform for experts on coping with Covid-19, learning from what it has done on security issues. Experts cannot escape the fact that they don’t play an executive role. At least in response to the established platform, their evaluationopinions and bits of recommendation float in front of the federal government.
The above discussion clearly shows that neo-functionalism intends to supply one guidance to ASEAN. From a neo-functionalist perspective, ASEAN should provide professionals and experts with a pass to work together in its shadow. The nationality of those experts and specialists doesn’t merit attention so long as they’ve reputable expertise in the sector of cooperation that can be managed.
Simply put, ASEAN’s efforts to stabilize member states’ economic resilience needs to be well linked to financial experts.
In one other dimension, ASEAN’s efforts to seek out an antidote to the virus should give attention to supporting medical researchers and doctors. These examples also confer with other fields.
*The creator is a research assistant on the Center for Development and International Studies (CEDIS) on the University of Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY). The creator may be contacted at: [email protected]
===
Bibliography
Association of Southeast Asian Nations. (2020). Statement of the ASEAN Special Summit on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Retrieved April 20, 2020 from https://asean.org/storage/2020/04/FINAL-Declaration-of-the-Special-ASEAN-Summit-on-COVID-19.pdf
Association of Southeast Asian Nations b. (2020). Statement and announcements. Retrieved May 3, 2020 from https://asean.org/category/asean-statement-communiques/
Gómez, Jim. (2020, April 10). ASEAN ministers approve recent Covid-19 response fund. Diplomat. Retrieved April 20, 2020 from https://thediplomat.com/2020/04/asean-ministers-endorse-new-covid-19-response-fund/
Hello Bob. (2017). Studies and theory of diplomacy; Mainstream, Alternative and Reflective. Indonesian Obor Library Foundation; Jakarta.
Septiari, Dian. (2020, April 14). Leaders support the establishment of the ASEAN Covid-19 Response Fund. Jakarta Post Office. Retrieved April 20, 2020 from https://www.thejakartapost.com/seasia/2020/04/14/leaders-support-sumption-of-asean-covid-19-response-fund.html
