The 42nd ASEAN Summit Closed, Indonesia Successfully Pushes the Region to Produce an Inclusive Economic Recovery Agreement
By: Satya Wibowo *)
ASEAN is believed to be able to become a central player in bringing peace and growth, both in the region and at the global level. As the Chair of ASEAN 2023 and the host of the 42nd ASEAN Summit, Indonesia has successfully pushed for an economic recovery agreement that is inclusive of the region.
Indonesia is returning to take international leadership by holding the ASEAN 2023 scepter. Carrying the theme ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth, Indonesia together with other ASEAN member countries will ensure that ASEAN remains and is increasingly relevant to the world. ASEAN which continues to be a center of growth with its strong and empowered people.
At the same time, Indonesia’s chairmanship provides opportunities and demonstrates Indonesia’s strategic role in strengthening ASEAN institutional capacities and capabilities, especially in forming a regional order that is based on multilateralism and inclusivity values.
In 2023, President Joko Widodo leads the regional region to navigate inclusive and sustainable growth in the ASEAN region amid the post-pandemic world recovery conditions. At the ASEAN Summit, President Jokowi invited all member countries in the region to unite together to increase regional economic growth.
In addition, Indonesia also wants to make ASEAN a center for regional and world economic growth. This is because, Indonesia wants to make ASEAN a region that has an important role, for regional countries and the world. Both play a central role as the engine of peace and prosperity in the region.
As one of the founding countries and the largest country in ASEAN, Indonesia has succeeded in facilitating various breakthroughs and innovations as a solution to overcoming world challenges and problems that are also faced by the region. Indonesia has proven itself capable of continuing to push for solutions to various global crises, including an agreement to strengthen economic stability in the region to be able to overcome the threat of various global crises.
The role of the region in this matter is a highlight for the global economy. The agreements that emerged were inseparable from the performance of the economy in the region which was considered capable of having a significant impact on various global problems.
President Joko Widodo explained that the situation the world is currently facing, starting from the global economy that has not fully recovered, rivalries that are getting sharper, and world dynamics that are increasingly unpredictable. In the midst of this situation, the President believes that ASEAN is capable of being the engine of peace and growth.
However, Jokowi believes and believes ASEAN can face all challenges, with one key, namely Unity. Because according to Jokowi, with unity, ASEAN will be able to become a central player in bringing peace and growth.
Furthermore, President Jokowi explained that ASEAN has strong assets as a growth center or epicentrum of growth. Apart from that, ASEAN also has economic growth that has grown far above the world average, demographic bonuses, and maintained regional stability.
The President emphasized that ASEAN must further strengthen its economic integration, strengthen inclusive cooperation – including the implementation of the RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) – and strengthen the architecture of health, food, energy and financial stability.
Indeed, various challenges have the potential to threaten regional stability, undermine centrality, and threaten ASEAN’s relevance as an actor playing a role in shaping order in the Southeast Asian and Indo-Pacific regions.
For this reason, with the spirit of “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth” which means that Indonesia wants to make ASEAN remain important and relevant to the ASEAN community and the world. This has made the region a pioneer in economic development and growth both regionally and globally and is able to demonstrate the region’s resilience in facing various global crises. In addition, ASEAN as a center of economic growth shows that economic growth in the ASEAN region always grows higher than other countries outside ASEAN.
President Joko Widodo is determined to direct ASEAN cooperation in 2023 to continue and strengthen ASEAN’s relevance in responding to regional and global challenges, as well as strengthening ASEAN’s position as the center of regional economic growth, for the prosperity of the people in Southeast Asia.
Therefore, Joko Widodo invited all ASEAN member countries to work together in increasing economic growth in the region. He also said to be able to work together to strengthen and improve regional payment connectivity cooperation including increasing the digital economy in the region.
The digital economy is one of the issues raised at the 2023 ASEAN Summit. This issue is important for strengthening financial inclusion and digital literacy. ASEAN member countries need to increase their respective capacities in formulating national financial education strategies and increasing the interconnectivity of regional payment systems.
Digital payment systems have an important role in driving a country’s economic growth. With the theme “Epicentrum of Growth”, the ASEAN region with its various advantages is expected to become the anchor of global stability and the center of global growth in the future.
The President of the Republic of Indonesia also said that improving the digital payment system in the region would have a broad impact on economic growth and accelerate post-pandemic economic recovery.
Not only digital economy , President Jokowi also invited ASEAN members to strengthen cooperation to increase economic stability in the region. As the region most affected by natural disasters and climate-related risks, ASEAN needs to draw ranks to prepare for and aim for the same goal in terms of the transition to a green economy.
In addition, as stated on the official ASEAN website, ASEAN heads of state expressed their commitment to advancing regional payment connectivity and encouraging the use of local currencies for cross-border transactions in the region.
In the midst of various global crises that also impacted the region, the ASEAN Summit also played an important role in creating various economic policies as a force in overcoming global economic turmoil.
*) Lantera Research Institute researcher
