Barack Obama will visit Indonesia, one of his boyhood homes, next week for the first time as President. His visit to Jakarta, and a rumored stop in Bali, are scheduled for a tour March 21-26 that will also include stops in Guam and Australia.
Originally planned for March 20-22, Obama's trip has been delayed by wrangling in the US Congress over healthcare reform legislation.
As one American commentator, Jennie S. Bev, who also spent time in the Menteng area of Jakarta puts it, this is an historic opportunity for Indonesian-US bilateral relations. Indonesians should seize this rare opportunity to capture Obama's--and the world's--attention with "class and clarity".
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/03/15/the-boy-menteng.html
As a catalyst for change, Obama can bring focused international attention to Indonesia's challenges among the "right people and institutions". Bev cites human rights, human and drug trafficking, terrorism, free trade, education and US investment as among these pressing issues.
I would also add environmental concerns and public health to this list deserving attention and cooperation. Challenges across all of these areas pose problems and require solutions not just within Indonesia's borders but spreading regionally and globally.
Here's hoping that Obama's visit will contribute to closer relations between the world's third and fourth largest countries.
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