Indonesia Must Carefully Seize Opportunities at the World Economic Forum

Amid global political dynamics, Indonesia must carefully approach the opportunities at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. This was the opinion expressed by Associate Professor Dr. P. M. Erza Killian from Brawijaya University. He believes that the WEF is evolving into not just an economic platform but also a forum for geopolitical and security discussions.

According to Killian, Indonesia can benefit by positioning itself as a ‘middle power’ with no explicit allies, avoiding involvement in global conflicts and political fragmentation. Indonesia’s ‘free-active’ policy allows it to engage in investment initiatives without aligning with conflict-driven agendas.

Special attention should be paid to sectors such as the transition to green energy, the development of electric vehicle battery ecosystems, and green investments. These initiatives can enhance the country’s appeal to external investors. However, experts suggest avoiding investments aimed at the defense industry to prevent perceptions of political bias.

Additionally, the concept of ‘friend-shoring’—where investments are directed to politically aligned countries—remains a significant factor in economic and investment policy. For successful participation at the forum, Indonesia needs to offer unique initiatives not dominated by other countries.