Indonesia’s ASEAN presidency to focus on economic growth: Minister – Asia and Pacific

Indonesia’s leadership of ASEAN in 2023 will primarily focus on generating growth in the region that would be sustainable enough to help speed up recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior economic minister said on Thursday.

Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said Indonesia’s presidency of ASEAN this year would be focused on improving connectivity and competitiveness in the region.

“Indonesia will improve recovery prospects through improved connectivity and competitiveness as well as by building resilience in financial services and food security,” Airlangga said in a meeting with ambassadors of ASEAN countries in Jakarta on Thursday.

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The senior minister said that Indonesia would push for a more integrated digital infrastructure in ASEAN to bridge the digital gap among country members.

As for improving connectivity, Airlangga stressed the need for infrastructure to transport energy, logistics and people.

On Jan. 1, Indonesia officially began its chairmanship of ASEAN for 2023. The last time Indonesia held that position was in 2011, in a swap with Brunei Darussalam, which then chaired ASEAN in 2013.

Analysts have expected the issue of Myanmar to preoccupy Indonesia in its leadership of ASEAN this year.

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Last week, however, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said in her annual foreign policy address that Indonesia would not allow the Myanmar crisis to hold ASEAN’s economic agenda hostage.