Did that Indonesia is the one representative Southeast Asian country within the G20 (Group of Twenty) and was chosen because the representative based on certain criteria, including the dimensions of its population and economy?
The G20 is a global economic forum bringing together governments (heads of presidency, finance ministers) and central bank governors of the world’s twenty largest economies, accounting for 66% of the world’s population.
The members of the G-20 group are: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Great Britain, USA, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, India, IndonesiaMexico, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Türkiye.
If not (back to the previous query), and for the reason that 2018 G20 summit in Buenos Aires (heralded as the primary G20 summit held in South America) is happening right away, listed here are some necessary facts that may be interesting and the least you need to find out about Indonesia and its participation within the group to date:
1. Indonesia had the honour of becoming a member of the G20 in 2008. Indonesia is the one ASEAN country to be included within the group, and has been an lively member of the G20 since its inception in 1999.
2. The changes in Indonesia’s position from a low-income country to a middle-income country and from a recipient country to a recipient and donor country at the identical time require updating Indonesia’s profile in the skin world. Therefore, Indonesia’s lively role within the G20 becomes significant since the G20 serves as an external political instrument for Indonesia towards becoming a developed country in 2025.
3. Given that Indonesia has experienced many success stories in development programs, participation within the G20 could function an instrument to propose these experiences as Indonesia’s global contribution to the G20 discussion forum. For example, on the Pittsburgh Summit, Indonesia set an example of success in transforming direct fuel subsidies into direct grants (BLT program). Indonesia could also work with the World Bank and the OECD to disseminate such success stories.
4. Indonesian representatives have actively participated in high-level cooperation through their interventions at various levels of G20 meetings to speed up the event of all emerging economies by promoting strong economic growth and creating resilient economies. According to HEINRICH-BÖLL-STIFTUNG, this may be proven by the presence of Indonesian presidents who’ve never missed the summits for the reason that Ministerial Forum was upgraded to a Leaders’ Forum in 2008.
5. The Jakarta Post reported that one of the necessary roles Indonesia played within the G20 was helping to ascertain the General Expenditure Support Fund (GESF) in 2008. The GESF was established to assist developing countries by providing them with liquidity from the IMF and the World Bank. Its predominant objective is to assist develop infrastructure, create jobs and achieve the goals set by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
6. Indonesia hosted Working Group 4 (WG4) of G20 Finance Deputies to debate reform of the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). The MDBs are composed of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Islamic Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. Indonesia co-chaired the event with France. Indonesia was appointed to the chair on the initiative of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Washington in November 2008.
7. According to VivaNews news reports from 2009, since Indonesia’s inclusion within the G20, support has come from neighboring countries. The leaders of ASEAN member countries have supported Indonesia because the representative of Southeast Asia. Everyone expects that membership can convey the common interests of Southeast Asian countries. In other words, as promoted by the Indonesian Foreign Minister in Thailand in October 2009, ASEAN is establishing Indonesia’s position as a mediator within the G20.
8. Furthermore, institutionally, in response to Indonesia’s membership, ASEAN established the ASEAN G20 Contact Group, as promised on the fifteenth ASEAN Summit in October 2009 in Hua Hin, Thailand. The Contact Group goals to coordinate the position and interests of the regional group ahead of the G20 summits. It consists of the ASEAN Chair, the ASEAN Secretary General and Indonesia. The G20 Summit even invited ASEAN because the representative of the regional group in Asia.
9. For current Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the G20 has a special strategic significance. The platform has prioritized trade, investment and infrastructure, which is clearly consistent with his ambition to realize a powerful economic growth rate of seven percent in Indonesia.
10. In conclusion, on this era of globalization, the G20 is vital for Indonesia. Indonesia shouldn’t only be pleased with its membership but in addition turn into more assertive in using it to secure national interests.
Source: Various sources, including Jakarta Post, HEINRICH BÖLL FOUNDATIONWEF official website and Publications of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation
