Indonesia works with ASEAN neighbors to tackle transboundary haze

Indonesia is relying on regional coordination as wildfire haze spreads beyond its borders, with officials emphasizing cooperation rather than bilateral confrontation.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vahd Nabyl A. Mulachela said Indonesia was prioritizing cooperation with neighboring countries, particularly on environmental problems with transboundary effects. He said the government continued to implement haze-management measures under the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.

The ASEAN Secretariat, serving as the interim office of the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Transboundary Haze Control, declared Alert 3 across the region on Aug. 26. The status requires ASEAN countries to submit daily situation reports, including maps showing the direction of haze, and distribute them among member states. Indonesia said it was continuing to meet those reporting and other mandatory obligations, including sharing hotspot data, environmental conditions, indications of haze movement and wildfire mitigation measures.

Officials are also holding regular meetings to coordinate follow-up actions. Data from the Forestry Ministry’s Sipongi system showed hotspots rising by Sept. 1 in West Kalimantan, from 273 to 859, and in Central Kalimantan, from 253 to 623. South Sumatra rose from 20 to 89, while South Kalimantan increased from 22 to 73. Jambi went from zero to four, and Riau remained at zero.

The haze has spread to Malaysia’s Sabah and Sarawak, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines, including Manila. Indonesia says it is continuing to strengthen strategies to fight the fires and reduce their effects domestically and across the region.

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Indonesia strives to prioritize cooperation with neighboring countries and maintains good bilateral relations, particularly in addressing environmental issues with transboundary impacts, including haze.