How should Asean leaders advance the Asean Economic Community?

What obstacles does Asia face in managing US-China relations?

How has religious identity politics in the region changed and how should Singapore respond to such developments?

These are some of the issues covered in this collection of thoughtful and insightful essays by former Ambassador and founding Dean of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) Barry Desker.

His many years serving behind the scenes as a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) officer during the region’s tumultuous times, after he joined the service in 1970, can be seen in deeply personal articles such as “Remembering S.R. Nathan: The MFA Years” and “Lee Kuan Yew’s Visit to Bali in 1975”, when the author accompanied then-Prime Minister Lee to various Asean cities in the months after the fall of Saigon in April 1975.

His thorough understanding of the details of trade agreements and the economic issues that face Asean as well as the security challenges in Asia, including energy security, is a reflection of his tenure both as the Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Trade Development Board (1994-2000) and the Director of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (2000-2014).

His years as Ambassador to Indonesia, from 1986 to 1993, make his sensitive reflections on Indonesian politics, religion and society matchless.

Eight areas are covered:

• Global Trade

• The Politics of Energy and Climate Change

• Religion and Terrorism

• Intra-Asean Relations

• Singapore-Indonesia Relations and their Domestic Politics

• Asean’s Global Engagement

• Managing Tensions in East Asia

• East Meets West in the 21st Century

Originally published to reach a wide audience in Singapore and the region, these commentaries are written in a down-to-earth and comprehendible way. They are accessible to anyone with an interest in these issues.

About the Author

A President’s Scholar, Barry Desker cut his teeth at Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs when he joined the then-fledgling ministry in 1970 as one of its first generation of officers. He was Ambassador to Indonesia (1986-1993), Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Trade Development Board (1994-2000), Director, Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (2000-2014), and founding Dean of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (2007-2014), Nanyang Technological University, where he is currently the Distinguished Fellow and Nanyang Professor of Practice.

He served as Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to the Holy See and Spain (2007-2020). He was the Chairman of Crimson Logic (1995-2002), Jurong Port (2001-2008), Singapore Technologies Marine (2001-2016) and the Singapore International Foundation (2001-2008). Barry Desker is a Member of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights, Singapore, and a Member of the Board of Directors of the Lee Kuan Yew Exchange Fellowship.