Border management is not merely a technical matter of mapping; it is also closely related to legal, diplomatic, and geopolitical aspects.
However, the main challenge in negotiations lies in the differences in claims, economic interests, and political dynamics that influence the diplomatic process between countries.
Therefore, in the process of determining maritime boundaries, geodesy and geomatics experts are crucial.
In fact, during every negotiation, a technical team must always support it with accurate data and geospatial analysis.
This was conveyed by the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Greece, Dr. Bebeb Abdul Kurnia Nugraha Djundjunan, during a guest lecture titled “Border Management: Strategies and Techniques for Maritime Boundary Negotiations” at the Geomatics Engineering Master’s Program, Department of Geodesy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FT UGM).
In his presentation, Ambassador Bebeb Djundjunan shared real-life experiences from international negotiations on Indonesia’s maritime boundaries.
This topic is highly relevant given Indonesia’s geographic position, which borders many countries, namely India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and Australia.
“Although several borders have been agreed upon, many segments of maritime boundaries remain unresolved to this day,” said Dr. Djundjunan in a statement sent to journalists on Friday (Mar. 14).
As the former Head of the Indonesian Technical Delegation Team in Maritime Boundary Negotiations from 2016 to 2022, he noted that a technical team must always support the process with accurate data and geospatial analysis in every negotiation.
He provided an example, mentioning Dr. I Made Andi Arsana, a UGM Geomatics Engineering expert who was also involved in the technical team’s expert group.
“The presence of geospatial experts ensures that the negotiated boundaries are based on objective calculations and comply with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” he added.
Ambassador Djundjunan emphasized the need for close collaboration between various disciplines and institutions to study border issues more deeply.
The academic findings are expected to provide input to the government, strengthen the negotiation team, and enable it to better advocate for Indonesia’s maritime interests.
In response to a student’s question regarding Indonesia’s strategies in handling difficult negotiations, especially when facing countries with stronger positions, Ambassador Djundjunan stated that strategies are needed to form and manage a solid and effective national negotiation team to achieve the best agreements for Indonesia.
“A diplomacy approach based on geospatial data and a deep understanding of international law is key to safeguarding national interests,” he said.
The Head of UGM’s Department of Geodesy Engineering, Professor Trias Aditya, remarked that Ambassador Djundjunan’s guest lecture provided students with deeper insights into how maritime boundaries are managed and negotiated.
He also noted that the lecture strengthened collaboration between the academic world and diplomatic practitioners, building a more comprehensive understanding of Indonesia’s border law and geopolitics.
Author: Bolivia
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Image: Shutterstock