Leads with 3 Indonesia ASEAN Economic Priorities

Leads with 3 Indonesia ASEAN Economic Priorities
Indonesia has three priority areas of the economy when it led the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2011, said Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said in Jakarta on Thursday (13 / 1).


"There are three things that the government prioritize the economic pillar while serving as chairman of ASEAN in 2011," Pangestu said the events of Indonesia in ASEAN Leadership Seminar hosted by CSIS.
The three priorities are to strengthen coordination within ASEAN itself, the consolidation of ASEAN with its partners and ASEAN's role at the global level.

"Pillar is a pillar of the economy is actually the most advanced compared to two other pillars because there is already a blueprint and 'scorecard' (report) but the problem still focus on the development of the ASEAN single market," he said. To achieve an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015, ten countries of ASEAN in 2007 agreed to set four objectives namely single market and production base, the area is highly competitive economy, the region with equitable economic development, an integrated region with the global economy.

"ASEAN Scorecard also remains weak due to limited shows each country's achievements have not seen whether the achievements that have an impact on ASEAN members," added the Director General of International Trade Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce Gusmardi Bustani who also attended the event. According to him, Indonesia in ASEAN's economic report card has only reached 85 percent since 2003, the remaining 15 percent who have not reached most of the transport sector that is equal to 12 percent.

"Indonesia also intends to make an evaluation of the" scorecard "that is, whether the items in it realistic or not and someone has to evaluate the" scorecard "is," added Mari again.
Let's also highlighted another problem in that first priority is the uneven economic development in ASEAN, both sectors in the country and between countries in ASEAN. "For that there are two things you want to be appointed by the government of inclusion of financial issues (financial inclusion) for small and medium enterprises and the implementation of aid for trade (aid for trade)," said Mari.

Develop SMEs

Indonesia, according to Mari, must take a role in developing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the period in kuantias keketuaannya because SMEs have 90 percent share in the business community but only contributed 10 percent to the Gross National Income (GDP).

"Then aid for trade is an aid to physical infrastructure or the improvement of quality for the ASEAN countries can meet the standards imposed before," said Mari.
The second priority associated with its partner conical ASEAN on cooperation in East Asia Summit (EAS), which includes ASEAN members plus Japan, China, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, India, and two new members of the United States and Russia. "After the International Monetary (IMF) post-crisis weakened the economy of regional cooperation can enter by providing financial support in the region," he added

Let exemplifies how to Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization (CMIM) which is a facility of regional financial assistance to overcome balance of payments difficulties and short-term liquidity funds with a total one hundred twenty billion U.S. dollars as agreed by ASEAN countries with China, Japan, and Korea in March 2010 need to be intensified. "There needs to be" swap ", which provided more for ASEAN cooperation with its partners to more experienced," added Mari.

Last priority is the role of ASEAN in the global level which, according to Mari can be seen from the GDP of ASEAN which reached 1.49 trillion U.S. dollars in 2009, an increase of almost double from 800 billion dollars in 2003. "It shows ASEAN has the potential to contribute to improving world economy," Mari said, adding that ASEAN can play a role in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and multilateral forums G20.

"But I have to achieve that, Indonesia would require greater participation from stakeholders and the wider dissemination to the public," he said. Priority will be discussed at the ASEAN Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM) on January 18 to 22