Indonesia is confident of reaching its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as it remains steadfast in rolling out innovative services to ramp up investments and contribute to the country’s overall economic development.
In a statement, President Joko Widodo announced that the government will not reduce its SDG targets. Instead, he directed agencies to search for more innovative techniques in handling their operations to achieve SDGs. While admitting that hitting economic goals has been hampered by restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said that these challenges must not derail the government from its tracks in hitting targets. Instead, they should be addressed by using technology to streamline government systems.
The President added, “We have to find new ways, we have to find new breakthroughs so that we can take a leap towards achieving the SDGs target”.
The statement was made during this year’s TPB / SDGs Indonesia Annual Conference attended by top department heads of the government. The recent event had the theme “Rise Together from COVID-19 for the Goals of Sustainable Development Using Science and Sustainable Innovation”.
Technology, inclusivity and sustainable development
The President’s recent directive is fully in line with the government’s mandate to fast-track its SGDs while still providing efficient public service to its citizens. To do this, the President noted that every policy should translate into action.
He also said that knowledge sharing is crucial. A synergy of knowledge from both the private and public sectors is anticipated to shore up current government policies and help in hitting economic goals. The President stressed that “Every practitioner, whether in government, in civil society or the private sector, must have different experiences. We have to synergise the wealth of knowledge”.
In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly laid down 169 targets and 17 economic goals as part of a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”. These SDGs are part of a global framework called the Agenda 2030. Itis intended to be a shared global vision for states around the world, all working towards eradicating poverty and upscaling the quality of living.
These SDGs find their support for equality and human rights. They are universal in scope and operate under the principle that no economy should be left behind in terms of progress and development. Aside from SDGs, the Agenda consists of a political declaration, means of implementation and a universal framework to be followed in reviewing overall objectives.
Indonesia has been vocal in pushing for an inclusive economic framework by banking on its overall digital transformation. This year, the country announced that it is on a journey to infuse innovation to traditional modes of government operations, specifically in the agriculture, healthcare and manufacturing sectors.
To get more hands-on in its digital evolution, the Indonesian government teamed up with one of Asia’s most progressive states. As OpenGov Asia earlier reported, Indonesia collaborated with South Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The partnership is expected to support Indonesia in its shift to digital, specifically in the area of communications technology. Other industries to receive a boost from the tie-up include public health, education and the services sector.
Aside from the Agenda 2030, Indonesia is committed to achieving its targets under the Making Indonesia 4.0 roadmap. In this framework, the government undertook to prioritise five key areas in its economy as it eyes a more robust economy on the back of job creation and exports. These industries include food and drinks, textile, automotive, electronics and chemicals. It is expected that the Making Indonesia blueprint will give the economy a boost of 1% to 2%. By 2030, the manufacturing sector is anticipated to make up nearly a fourth of Indonesia’s gross domestic product.
