Indonesia officially assumed the presidency of the G20, for the first time, on October 31, 2021, in Rome, Italy.

Indonesia will chair the G20, a global forum that comprises countries that account for 80 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP), from December 1, 2021 to November 2022.

According to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, themed ‘Recover Together, Recover Stronger’, will encourage collective efforts for global economic recovery.

Inclusive, people-centered, environmentally friendly, and sustainable development is the primary commitment for Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, he said.

This commitment will require extraordinary methods, stronger world collaboration, and non-stop innovation, he added.

Widodo said the G20 should become an ecosystem development engine that encourages this collaboration and innovation, which must be explored further in future meetings.

Indonesia, as the first developing country to assume the G20 Presidency, certainly has a strategic role, he said. This role should be utilized as best as possible for national interests, he added.

Widodo said that through this leadership, Indonesia will be in the same rank as advanced nations. Indonesia should make an effort to take advantage of this position for national interest, he added.

He informed that for one week between the end of October and the beginning of November 2021, he had attended several meetings.

The first was the G20 Summit in Rome, then the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, which was followed by a visit to the United Arab Emirates to strengthen relations with partner countries.

There were many bilateral requests from leaders of partnering countries and many among them are advanced countries, Widodo noted.

This shows that Indonesia’s G20 Presidency is appreciated and has got the attention of other nations, he said.

The Indonesian President further said that it is an honor for Indonesia to assume the G20 Presidency. He noted that the G20 Summit under Indonesia’s Presidency will be held in Bali as well as cities besides Bali.

During Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, around 150 meetings that will discuss issues such as finance, climate, digital economy, will be held within the nation, he informed.

The government has underlined several direct benefits of a physical G20 Summit.

The benefits comprise an increase in domestic consumption of up to Rp1.7 trillion, additional national GDP of Rp7.4 trillion, and involvement of micro, small, medium enterprises (MSMEs) as well as absorption of 33 thousand workers in various sectors, Widodo said.

He stressed that Indonesia, as a large country with a long history, should truly take advantage of the momentum afforded by the G20 Presidency to influence global policies.

He also said that the world’s prosperity should be more equitable and inclusive. G20 should contribute to creating a world that is resilient to crisis and the impacts of climate change, he added.

As the nation with the biggest Muslim population in the world with the values of Pancasila and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), Indonesia could be a reference point for the world, he remarked.

The nation could serve as a reference point of what progressive and moderate Islam—that was fought for by the Islamic organization Muhammadiyah—looks like, he said.

Indonesia could learn from countries that have previously held the leadership of the G20, including Italy, regarding what benefits could be optimized by nations holding the Presidency of the grouping, he added.

Indonesia’s commitment

Indonesia is committed to working for the sake of the global community during its G20 Presidency, Widodo said.

The nation will strive so that the G20 works for the benefit of all, whether they are advanced and developing nations, northern and southern hemisphere nations, large and small islands, small nations in the Pacific, or vulnerable groups that should be prioritized, he added.

In addition to inclusivity, Indonesia will also focus on green and sustainable economy, the President said.

Indonesia has a strategic position when it comes to the issue of climate change, Widodo said. Throughout 2020, Indonesia has managed to reduce forest fires by 82 percent compared to the previous years, he pointed out.

The deforestation rate also has dropped significantly to its lowest level in the last 20 years, he noted.

Indonesia will also express hope and support toward effective multilateralism with concrete work and results, Widodo said.

To ensure that G20 meetings proceed smoothly, the current presidency, along with the previous and the next leaders — Indonesia, Italy, and Saudi Arabia — called the “Troika” will coordinate intensively for the entire G20 priority agendas, Widodo informed.

Moreover, the G20 Summit in Indonesia in 2022 will serve as a platform for the nation to showcase its capability in various aspects, such as efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic and recover the economy, he said.

Widodo, after inspecting the G20 Summit 2022 location in Nusa Dua, Bali, said that Indonesia should provide the best service and performance as the chair of the G20 meeting in 2022.

He also urged Indonesia to display the advancements it has achieved during the G20 summit.

Furthermore, as a diverse country, Indonesia should also display its cultural richness, he added.

Cross-sectoral involvement

Indonesia’s G20 Presidency necessitates involvement from various parties, whether they are central and regional governments, political parties, private enterprises, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), or the people, Widodo said.

In terms of bureaucracy, coordination between the central and regional governments is absolutely necessary to ensure the success of Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, he added.

Every region has the right to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by this moment, but they should still coordinate with the central government, he said.

In terms of politics, the support and the role of political parties is necessary to help the government optimize its G20 Presidency for the nation, he added.

Political parties could coordinate with the government concerning what must be done, or at least keep their members from making a brouhaha, he said.

Meanwhile, SOEs and private enterprises could make the most out of this opportunity, whether in the form of investment, jobs, or others, he added.

However, this should be planned from the beginning so that in December 2021, when the G20 agenda begins, everything works out to reach the desired target, he said.

SOEs Minister Erick Thohir said that he, along with SOEs, will hold an activity during next year’s G20 event.

This activity will serve as a benchmark for other countries to know the strengths and weaknesses of SOEs.

Last, every Indonesian should contribute in any way they can, whether it is in economy, art, or culture.

The government should also explain the importance of Indonesia’s G20 Presidency to the people through various existing channels.
 

Source: Antara News