Jakarta, 08 March 2022 –
The Communications and Informatics Ministry (MCI) gathered all stakeholders to discuss and consolidate digital issues in Indonesia's G20 Presidency. MCI secretary-general Mira Tayyiba stated a consolidation is necessary to reach a common understanding and address challenges in the digital sector to realize a stronger recovery.
"The Digital Economy Working Group [DEWG] initiates a melting pot between the Working Group [WG], Engagement Group [EG], National Knowledge Partner, and National Strategic Stakeholders. This workshop serves as a realization of DEWG's role as the leading stakeholder in digital-based transformation in the G20 Presidency," said Mira Tayyiba at the opening of the 1st Internal Workshop DEWG G20 carrying the theme "Achieving a Resilient Recovery: Working Together for a More Inclusive, Empowering, and Sustainable Digital Transformation" which was organized in hybrid at Pullman Hotel, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, March 8.
In the last two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has made the digital technology to become the pillar of life and the creator of innovative solutions, said Mira Tayyiba who also serves as the DEWG chair. According to her, Indonesia should be proud because, during the pandemic, the country's digital economy valuation reached US$70 billion in 2021 according to Gross Merchandise Value (GMV). The figure is predicted to increase up to US$146 billion by 2025.
"In addition, there are five start-ups that succeed to achieve unicorn status in 2021. Other sectors, for instance, edutech and healthtech, are also experiencing a rapid development in the midst of the pandemic," she said.
She emphasized that apart from being proud of the said achievements, the country should respond to the challenges in the digital sector, for example, the digital divide risk; the low ability to understand and use digital technology; and the security of data and its cross-border flow that becomes massive.
Therefore, she hoped the workshop discussed the aspirations around digital transformation in Indonesia to be more inclusive, empowering, and sustainable.
"To realize the aspirations, DEWG raised three priority issues to strengthen the leadership in addressing digital issues during Indonesia's G20 Presidency, namely Connectivity and Post COVID-19 Recovery; Digital Skills and Digital Literacy; and Cross-Border Data Flow and Data Free Flow with Trust," she explained.
Concerning the G20 Presidency priority issues, DEWG also raised the digital topics being discussed by various working groups and engagement groups. In other words, the digital matter is a cross-cutting issue.
She added Indonesia's journey to achieve an inclusive, empowering, and sustainable digital transformation is still long. However, she expressed optimism towards cross-sector synergy in consolidating the digital issues in Indonesia's G20 Presidency.
"Through this strategy, the digital technology will be able to be the source of the spirit of Indonesia and the world to recover together and to recover stronger," she concluded
The workshop was attended by the special staff to the Minister of Communications and Informatics on digitalization and human resources as well as DEWG co-chair, Dedy Permadi; Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs' international economic cooperation deputy as well as Indonesia's G20 co-sherpa, Edi Prio Pambudi; and special staff to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on priority programs as well as Indonesia's G20 co-sherpa, Dian Triansyah Djani. Other participants were Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs' coordinating digital economy, manpower, and MSMEs affairs deputy, Mohammad Rudy Salahuddin; National Knowledge Partner representatives; and MCI's principal and senior officials.
