Indonesia-APEC Expects Digital Economic Development to Overcome COVID-19

Jakarta, MINA – Indonesia, together with twenty members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), stressed the importance of the development of the creative industries and digital economy as an effort to recover the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was discussed at the Special Virtual Meeting on Digital Economy Steering Group (SVM – DESG) which discussed the use of digital technology in handling COVID-19 on Friday.

“This pandemic has changed our lifestyle, digital technology has helped us in dealing with the impact of COVID-19,” said Indonesian Delegation Chair Andre Omer Siregar in a press statement received by MINA on Sunday.

Meanwhile, creative industries based on the digital economy have created non-conservative jobs amid a pandemic. It is important to place the creative industry as one of the core of cooperation in the digital economy.

One example of a growing creative industry in Indonesia is the online market and digital games. Over the past three years, the growth of the gaming market in Indonesia increased by 300 percent.

Indonesia has a target to increase this number and also the percentage of local game developers involved in the digital economy industry.

Indonesia’s involvement in APEC DESG is also a form of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ commitment in developing the digital economic potential in the country.

By establishing a dialogue with domestic business players, and holding a “Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Startup” at the end of last year, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeks to bring creative economic issues to regional and international forums.

As one of the oldest regional forums in the Asia-Pacific region, APEC is expected to provide concrete benefits to businesses in the country through both training and capacity building programs, as well as learning from the exchange of information, initiatives and policy examples from other APEC members. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)