Labuan Bajo, July 11th, 2022
– The Indonesian G20 Presidency is certain that consensus will be reached by the delegates in considering the solution to priority issues. This certainty is reflected in the opening remarks delivered virtually by the Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto at the 2nd Sherpa Meeting, Sunday (10/07).
"The G20, as the premier global economic forum, must act together to address multidimensional and interlinked global challenges. Today, we hold a responsibility to be thinking of others and to be putting solutions on the table," urged Coordinating Minister Airlangga.
In the meeting held in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Minister Airlangga stated that millions of people suffering from the impact of the interstate conflict crave to meet basic needs for food, shelter and safety, which may be temporarily "lost" due to conflicts or war.
"Our sense of humanity should be front and centre in Labuan Bajo. Our responsibility is bringing solutions to lift people up from their grievances, to provide hope for a better life, to ensure no person, country or region is left behind. The G20 can set a path for global stability, recovery and prosperity," Coordinating Minister Airlangga declared.
There is concern that inflation, food security and energy market volatility will set back the global economy, making achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) even more difficult. As one of the champions of the Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG), Indonesia is expected to support in providing a solution to the financial, food and energy crisis occurring in the world.
This forum of major economies must show global leadership by delivering solutions to overcome immediate and long-term challenges. Indonesia calls for the support of all G20 member states to find consensus on practical and concrete actions to demonstrate the G20
is in fact the premier economic forum, including in the three Presidency priorities, which are Global Health, Digital Transformation and Energy Transition.
"Despite the difficult context, our diverse group is capable of making progress. The Presidency appreciates member support to establish the Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) for pandemic preparedness prevention and management, announced by the Joint Health and Finance Task Force Meeting last month," explained Coordinating Minister Airlangga.
The trust and mutual respect among G20 members is key to advancing dialogue and consensus. Aside from that, the Sherpa is tasked to nurturing conducive working relationships which is an essential factor in transforming complex technical and policy advice into bold and ambitious actions for the heads of state of the G20.
The G20 group must be capable to be forward looking to deliver global economic growth and resilience. The 2030 Agenda for the SDGs should also be the compass of the G20 member states, particularly in helping to improve lives in vulnerable developing countries. Indonesia understands the situation of the world right now, which is why the Sherpa must call for unity to find policy and financial solutions to problems facing the world.
"The G20 should be a superb restaurant, serving an extraordinary menu. The food will never arrive if the chefs are squabbling in the kitchen. It is critical in this time of crisis for the G20 to step up to its brand as the premier global economic forum. The Presidency hopes this peaceful atmosphere in Labuan Bajo supports Sherpas to achieve this, wherein the chefs of the G20 can serve an amazing menu that can be enjoyed all over the world," Coordinating Minister Airlangga stated as he finished his remarks with an analogy.
In the same occasion, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi also delivered her opening remarks and stated that there appears to be strong commitment to collaborate and strengthen global energy and food security, where almost all participants agree on the importance of overcoming the disturbances in the global food and energy supply chain.
In this event, representatives of international organizations were also present to give their statements, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World TradenOrganization/International Renewable Energy Agency and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), on the global economic condition and the challenges that must be overcome in the effort to recover the economic conditions post the Covid-19 pandemic.
This opening session was held in hybrid format, attended by the 20 members of the G20, 9 invited states and 10 international organizations. This shows the spirit of each party to achieve the main objective for this meeting, which is to ensure that every Working Group in the Sherpa Track is running smoothly, and to identify the next steps that will be taken by each Working Group to fulfil the targeted deliverables.
