STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT. Jakarta. Coordinating Economic Affairs Ministry’s Secretary Susiwijono on Wednesday affirmed that the G20 presidency entrusted to Indonesia in 2022 symbolizes acknowledgment of its strategic role in representing Southeast Asia in terms of the global economy and financial architecture.
Through the G20 Presidency, Indonesia is also expected to encourage improvement of the quality and quantity of human resources, particularly in the tourism sector, opportunities for cooperation to achieve SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) targets, as well as exposure to the potential and economy of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). “In total, 437 events to be held comprise 184 meetings and 253 side events. The peak event will be the G20 summit on November 15-16, 2022. It is a meeting at the head of state level,” Susiwijono said.
International relations expert at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Andriana Elisabeth on Tuesday said Indonesia could use its position as G20 Presidency to facilitate efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, especially given Indonesia’s reputation in Southeast Asia. She said Indonesia had the opportunity to remind Russia and Ukraine to resume diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
President Jokowi urged the swift implementation of the world’s largest trade bloc backed by China, just a few days after the launch of a new economic grouping in the Indo-Pacific region led by the United States. Jokowi said the free trade agreement has become more important than ever as supply chain disruptions and inflation due to the Russia-Ukraine war cloud the growth outlooks for Asian countries still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jokowi on Friday also called for support for Indonesia’s presidency of the Group of 20 economies this year amid threats by the United States and its allies to boycott some meetings over Russia’s participation in the forum. “Indonesia wants to make sure that the G-20 will serve as a catalyst for global economic recovery,” he said.
Transnational Institute researcher Rachmi Hertanti on Sunday said Indonesia’s G20 presidency should be able to lead to talks on the impact of U.S. and Chinese dominance on developing countries’ economies, particularly in Asia. She said this topic is significant since developing countries rely heavily on investments from both sides to fund their national development agendas.
International Political Analyst and Conflict Resolution at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) Adriana Elisabeth on Saturday said Indonesia must advocate for a G20 consensus to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
She said each of the group’s 20 countries has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, and that working together will have a huge impact on the world. She said while the G20 lacks a legally or non-legally binding bond, it can work together based on a shared commitment or consensus.
Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Lyudmila Vorobieva said her country will continue to support Indonesia as the holder of the G20 presidency this year. She also strongly agrees with the theme “Recover Together Recover Stronger” because the G20 is a forum that must concentrate on global economic and financial issues, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the world for approximately two years. In addition to the economic issues, Lyudmila said that her country also supports other issues that will be the focus of discussion at the G20 forum, including energy transition and digital transformation.
Lyudmila said that most of the Russian delegates will virtually attend the G20 forum in November. She also confirmed that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who had been invited, would participate in-person in the G20 ministerial meeting in July in Bali. Regarding the arrival of Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit, Lyudmila said this would depend on the development of the situation between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told an Indonesian audience on Friday that he would accept the country’s invitation to the G20 Summit in Bali later this year and that he remained hopeful that the event would be free of “occupiers”.
Speaking directly to the Indonesian public on Friday for the first time since receiving the invitation, Zelensky said Ukraine had accepted the invitation “with honor and delight” although he hoped Russia would not attend.
“I am very grateful to your leader, the President of Indonesia, for his invitation to the G20 Summit this autumn,” he said during a live virtual event hosted by the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI). It remains to be seen whether the Ukrainian leader will be able to make the trip to Indonesia.
“I cannot leave Ukraine. I cannot go anywhere in person, because I’m staying with my people. They need my support, and I need their support. I will join you if there is no war. If there is still a war, that can be done online if your leadership can accept this option,” Zelensky said. The Ukrainian leader remained hopeful that the summit would be able to address the atrocities and repression committed by Russia “on such a scale” (Red/many sources).
