Trade Minister Lutfi: Digitizing The Golden Ticket For Economic Recovery From The COVID-19 Pandemic

Minister of Trade Muhammad Lutfi. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade (Mendag) Muhammad Lutfi conveyed that digitalization is an important part in every aspect of life and is a golden ticket for economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Digital transformation can be seen in the fields of economy, education, health, and business. This changes our need for merchandise," Lutfi said as quoted by Antara, Wednesday, June 8.

Lutfi said the growth of online platforms has boosted the volume of shipments of goods worldwide, which illustrates that information and communication technology has become the backbone of digital trade.

"The future of international trade will depend on how effectively a country can provide the necessary infrastructure and technology deployments," he said.

He said that digital transformation brings many benefits and opportunities. At the same time, however, new challenges, risks, and disruptions continue to emerge.

Currently, he continued, digital transformation around the world is increasingly fragmented.

Technology and innovation is highly concentrated in countries with better public digital infrastructure.

"If left unchecked, the gap between countries that are less connected to digital access and countries that are super digital will widen. Therefore, collaboration is key to ensuring that no one is left behind, building digitalization inclusively and transforming," said Lutfi. .

As in many countries, he continued, more than 65 million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia contributed 61 percent to Indonesia's economic structure.

So, said Lutfi, it is natural that digital transformation in Indonesia is centered on empowering MSMEs to join the digital ecosystem.

For this reason, policy makers, the business world, academia, the private sector must work together.

"To achieve sustainable development, we need to ensure that everyone has the best opportunity to participate and benefit from the digital transformation of our economy," said the Minister of Trade.

Indonesia's G20 presidency has the opportunity to build consensus and support digital transformation that promotes inclusive trade and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's).

"In this context I would like to advise all of us to start building trust and work together to discuss what role the G20 can play to ensure a fair, transparent and equal playing field for digital transformation," he said.

"I hope this year we can provide tangible results to answer the challenges of digital transformation. I expect our valuable input and recommendations to the G20 in realizing an inclusive digital transformation," concluded Lutfi.