Jakarta (ANTARA) – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said Indonesia has the highest number of unicorn and decacorn companies of any country.
“Indonesia has become the country with the most unicorns and decacorns among other countries. This is also due to the government’s efforts to integrate with ASEAN countries to promote business development and expand market research,” Hartarto noted in a statement from his office on Friday (July 5).
The minister made the remarks while attending an event titled ‘The Big Idea Forum CNN with Desi Anwar’ on Friday.
Hartarto then highlighted that Indonesia’s success as ASEAN Chair in 2023 had led to the launch of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA).
“DEFA has opened a new chapter in regional digital economic integration,” he noted.
The Minister noted that DEFA is expected to increase investment, innovation, productivity, job creation and empowerment of the MSME sector.
Projections show that ASEAN’s digital economy, worth $1 trillion in 2030, could reach $2 trillion through DEFA, Hartarto noted.
In addition, Indonesia and other ASEAN countries have integrated payments into local currency settlement (LCS) policies through the use of QRIS.
The minister then drew attention to the importance of data security in the context of the various digitalisation efforts.
The minister echoed optimism about accelerating the pace of economic transformation towards becoming a developed country by 2045, supported by the growth of the national economy by about five percent and the ability to keep the inflation rate within the target range.
Indonesia has a population of about 320 million and an estimated per capita income of $26,000. The Indonesian economy is therefore expected to reach about $9 trillion, Hartarto said.
The government therefore continues to encourage the improvement of the performance of the various engines of economic growth, particularly in the era of digitalization.
Digitalization of various industries will be accelerated to attract investments into the country.
Furthermore, Hartarto noted that the government is also pursuing various efforts to prepare competitive human resources (HR), including through the Pre-Employment Program, or training provision to meet the needs of the labor market that has reached 18 million beneficiaries.
However, Indonesia still faces challenges in encouraging equal connectivity and accelerating digital infrastructure development.
“We have made several efforts, such as the construction of the Palapa Ring fiber optic network, the use of the Satria multifunction satellite for underdeveloped, border and outermost areas, and more recently, the adoption of low Earth orbit satellite technology,” he explained.
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