Indonesia continues to encourage the acceleration of digital transformation to strengthen the momentum of national economic revival and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital transformation is expected to be able to close the digital divide/digital divide, both in terms of connectivity access, people’s digital skills, and cross-border data utilization. In addition, digital transformation is also expected to strengthen the nation’s economic resilience in the midst of and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
By the direction of the Minister of Communications and Informatics, as the leading sector in Indonesia’s digital transformation, the Ministry of Communications and Informatics not only seeks to realize digital transformation in the country but also fights for it at the international negotiating table, including in the G20 Forum. As the G20 Presidency in 2022, Indonesia also gains trust as well as more responsibility as the leader of the first Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG).
“Indonesia through the Ministry of Communication and Informatics will raise three priority issues in the Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG), namely: (i) Connectivity and post COVID-19 recovery; (ii) Digital skills and digital literacy; and (iii) Cross border data flow and data-free flow with trust,” said the spokesperson for the Ministry of Communications and Informatics, Dedy Permadi at the Kaleidoscope press conference of the Ministry of Communications and Informatics in 2021.
“These three issues are expected to highlight the unequal digital economy landscape and can encourage concrete collaboration of G20 member countries to create a more inclusive, secure, and sustainable digital economy ecosystem for the global world,” continued Dedy Permadi who is also the Co-Chair of DEWG.
In line with Indonesia’s G20 Presidency Agenda
The three issues brought up by the DEWG are aimed at supporting the overall priority agenda raised in the Indonesian G20 Presidency. The issue of digital transformation has also become one of the priority agendas proposed by Indonesia during its Presidency.
“The government has set the priority agenda for the presidency. The issue of digital transformation is one of the 3 priority agendas of the G20 2022 Presidency which include: (1) Global Health Architecture; (2) Digital and Economic Transformation; and (3) Energy Transition,” explained Dedy Permadi.
The majority of G20 member countries have expressed their support for the agenda and priority issues raised by the Indonesian Presidency and DEWG. Indonesia’s chairmanship in the G20 is expected to encourage concrete collaboration between member countries, both in realizing a more equitable and sustainable digital-based transformation, especially in collective efforts to recover together and recover more resiliently.
