The Aceh Peace Agreement stands as one of the most significant milestones in Indonesia’s peacebuilding history. Beyond involving key national figures and movement leaders, the peace process was also supported by academics, journalists, and civil society organizations both from Indonesia and abroad. To mark the 20th anniversary of this historic agreement, the ERIA School of Government is organizing a three-day reflective forum from 13 to 15 August 2025. The event will bring together key actors, regional partners, and members of the academic community who were directly or indirectly involved in the Aceh peace process.
First Day Discussions
The opening day revisited the long and difficult path to the 15 August 2005 Helsinki Agreement. Negotiations had reached repeated deadlocks – particularly after the Tokyo meeting – until momentum was revived in Helsinki in the aftermath of the devastating Aceh tsunami. The tragedy became a turning point, compelling all parties to return to the table, resume dialogue, and commit to peace.
Dean of the ERIA School of Government, Prof. Nobuhiro Aizawa, described the Aceh peace process as one of the region’s most remarkable achievements. ‘Leaders and the people of Aceh transformed tragedy into a shared commitment. Two decades of sustained peace are the product of global cooperation and serve as a model for maintaining trust in the future,’ he said.
ERIA President, Tetsuya Watanabe, underscored Aceh’s global relevance as a case study in conflict resolution. ‘Aceh proves that peace is possible, even after years of violence and broken trust. It has endured because of daily efforts to build confidence through local institutions, inclusive politics, and active community engagement. Without peace, there is no development. Peace is the foundation of all progress,’ he stated.
H.E. Jusuf Kalla, then Vice President of Indonesia, recalled how the shared recognition of the people’s suffering drew all parties together. ‘We knew prolonged conflict would harm everyone. Negotiation was the only way forward. Helsinki was the turning point when we realised Aceh’s future could only be built on peace,’ he reflected.
Wali Nanggroe Aceh, Paduka Yang Mulia Tgk. Malik Mahmud Al Haythar, stressed the need to safeguard this legacy. ‘True peace is not born from victory or defeat, but from the courage to understand and respect one another. We have preserved it for 20 years; our task now is to ensure the next 20 are even more peaceful and prosperous. To the young generation, be guardians of peace, not heirs to wounds,’ he urged.
Through this forum, the ERIA School of Government aims to ensure that Aceh’s experience continues to inspire peaceful conflict resolution in Southeast Asia and beyond – underscoring that peace is not an end state, but an ongoing process that requires shared stewardship.
Second Day Discussions
Twenty years after the signing of the Aceh Peace Agreement, the contributions of academics, media, and civil society organisations remain essential to sustaining and strengthening peace. The participation and commitment of ASEAN partners were equally instrumental – bringing confidence to the region and reinforcing the shared responsibility for peace. ASEAN’s dedication to the peaceful settlement of disputes and the maintenance of regional stability was demonstrated through its active role in neutral monitoring via the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM).
Meanwhile, the critical, though often under-recognised, roles of academics, journalists, and civil society organisations have shaped public perception, built trust, facilitated mediation, and promoted sustainable reconciliation. Together, these efforts not only supported the peace process at its inception but continue to underpin its success today. This was the focus of the second day of the 20th Anniversary of the Aceh Peace Agreementforum, organised by the ERIA School of Government in Jakarta.
Opening the session, Prof. Nobuhiro Aizawa, Dean of the ERIA School of Government, stressed that Aceh’s peace remains a living achievement that demands continued care. He reflected on its global significance, the small but pivotal decisions that shaped its outcome, and the urgency of preparing the next generation to sustain trust. ‘We cannot take peace for granted. To secure the next twenty years, we must understand how trust was built – and work together to strengthen it,’ he said.
The day’s discussions began with General Nipat Thonglek, Former Deputy Head of the AMM, who highlighted how a neutral monitoring presence fostered confidence in the fragile post-agreement years. ‘We were not just observers; we acted as a bridge, ensuring that commitments to peace were honoured on the ground,’ he said.
From the civil society perspective, Dr. Ahmad Humam Hamid, Professor at Syiah Kuala University and Board Member of BRR, described how community organisations advanced mediation, inclusive dialogue, and reconciliation. These grassroots efforts, he noted, embedded peace into everyday life, making it more resilient.
The media’s role was outlined by Arif Zulkifli, Deputy Director of Operations at Tempo Inti Media, who observed that journalism both records history and shapes public understanding. In Aceh, he said, the press has worked to keep the peace narrative alive long after the world’s attention moved elsewhere.
Finally, Yuhki Tajima, Associate Professor and Director at Georgetown SFS Asia Pacific, underlined the importance of research in sustaining peace. Data and analysis, he noted, help identify what works, what needs refinement, and how lessons from Aceh can inform other peacebuilding efforts.
A lasting legacy of the agreement is the inclusion of peace studies in the curricula of several Aceh universities. This initiative enables young people to learn about the history of conflict while gaining the tools to preserve harmony in the future.
Through this forum, the ERIA School of Government reaffirms its role as a bridge for sharing ideas, experiences, and strategies to advance inclusive peace. The commemoration serves as both a celebration of past success and a call to action to ensure that Aceh remains peaceful and prosperous in the decades ahead.
Third Day Discussions: SBY Shares the Practical Steps that Secured Lasting Peace in Aceh
The final day of the ERIA School of Government’s commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Aceh Peace Agreement brought together key figures of Indonesia who played a direct role in securing this historic settlement. Amongst them was the 6th President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), who oversaw the entire process of negotiations, reconstruction and the implementation of the agreement signed on 15 August 2005.
The Aceh Peace Agreement is recognised globally as one of the most inclusive, transparent, and swiftly implemented peace accords. Within months, critical measures – from troop withdrawals and ceasefire monitoring to the reintegration of former combatants – were underway. This success was rooted not only in the negotiation process but also in lessons learned beforehand. Careful planning, disciplined management of state institutions, and the bold inclusion of regional and international partners proved decisive. The joint mechanism between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), overseen by the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM), struck a delicate balance, while the establishment of the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR) as a joint project between the Acehnese and Indonesians fostered trust.
It was also a rare case where high-level diplomacy, political will, and broad public support aligned towards a common goal. Trust built between the parties paved the way for the transition from ‘bullets’ to ‘ballots,’ ending decades of armed conflict in the province.
SBY recalled that one of the greatest challenges was ensuring that all parties remained committed to the ceasefire. ‘We established a joint mechanism involving international monitors and integrated both civilian and military coordination. This success demonstrates that well-designed implementation is just as important as the negotiations themselves,’ he said.
ERIA President, Tetsuya Watanabe, emphasised that Aceh offers valuable lessons for the world. ‘We should not forget that we need peace to prosper, we need peace to innovate, we need peace to dream of the future. The Aceh peace has brought stability to the entire region. Many countries can learn that sustaining peace requires the commitment of all parties long after the ink on the agreement has dried,’ he noted.
Dean of the ERIA School of Government, Prof. Nobuhiro Aizawa, stressed the importance of carrying Aceh’s lessons forward. ‘Aceh shows that peace is achievable even after decades of conflict and devastating disaster. It proves that hatred can be turned into trust. This has been proven by the great leaders and people of Indonesia and Aceh. But peace is never finished – we must ask how to sustain it for the next 20 years. Now is the time to appreciate and study this remarkable achievement so we can work together to preserve it for the future,’ he said.
The event concluded a 3-day commemoration that brought together national leaders, international partners, academics, journalists, and civil society representatives to reflect on Aceh’s peace journey. It served as both a reminder of the past and a call for continued co-operation to ensure that Aceh’s peace and prosperity endure.
The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)
ERIA is an international organization established by an agreement between 16 heads of state attending the 3rd East Asia Summit in Singapore in November 2007.
ERIA was officially established at a Governing Board meeting held at the ASEAN Secretariat on June 3, 2008. ERIA's headquarters are located in Jakarta, Indonesia, in accordance with the Memorandum of Diplomatic Exchange between ASEAN and the Republic of Indonesia. The agreement between ERIA and the Republic of Indonesia was signed on October 8 and 13, 2014, and ratified through Presidential Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia No. 56 of 2016.
ERIA's mission is to conduct research and policy analysis to deepen economic integration, reduce development gaps, and promote sustainable economic growth in the ASEAN and East Asia regions. ERIA collaborates with policymakers and research institutions to conduct research in a variety of policy areas, including trade and investment, globalization, the digital economy and innovation, small and medium enterprise development, human resource and infrastructure development, and energy and environmental issues.
Recognized as one of the leading think tanks in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, ERIA continues to provide insights that contribute to policy formulation for inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Its experts bring diverse perspectives and come from countries including Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
