Menko Airlangga Highlights the Importance of ASEAN and Gulf Cooperation Council Collaboration at World Economic Forum

Jakarta, INTI - Minister of Coordination for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto attended the World Economic Forum (WEF), particularly the Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on April 28-29, 2024. The two-day event brought together over a thousand world leaders and experts from various fields, including government officials, academics, business leaders, philanthropists, international financial institutions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), to collectively address crucial issues facing the world today.

These issues include enhancing global economic cooperation, energy transition, workforce, regional cooperation, and digitalization, all aimed at fostering inclusive economic growth.

This edition of the WEF focused on three themes. Firstly, "A Compact for Inclusive Growth," which discussed the impacts of recent transformations such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the overall development of the digital economy, the lack of human development index, disparities and poverty in innovation development, human resources, and entrepreneurship.

Secondly, "Catalyzing Action on Energy for Development," which invited experts from various fields to identify financial, technological, and policy solutions to increase the use of clean energy as a tool to support equitable development. And thirdly, "Revitalizing Global Collaboration," aimed at strengthening humanitarian mission initiatives, including the potential for cooperation and joint action to mitigate the current escalation of geopolitical impacts.

Menko Airlangga was scheduled to be a panelist in the session "Labour Market for the Next Generation" and delivered opening remarks in a strategic dialogue among Governments and experts from ASEAN countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Menko Airlangga joined panelists including the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment of Nigeria, Doris Anite; CEO of Crescent Enterprises, UAE, and Young Global Leader, Badr Jafar; Founder and Chairman of DAMAC International UAE, Hussain Sajwani; and Vice Chairman, Global Public Sector Citi, Jay Collins.

In the "Joint Regional Strategy Dialogue: ASEAN-GCC" session, Menko Airlangga also delivered opening remarks alongside Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Anwar Ibrahim. In this session, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif also contributed.

Both sessions are crucial as they not only discuss demographic growth and technological advancements and how to leverage them but also explore the potential for collaboration among regions and countries. Moreover, ASEAN and GCC are blocs of developing countries expected to become new economic forces in the future.

Furthermore, Menko Airlangga emphasized the importance for countries in both regions, which are poised to become new economic powers globally, to continue dialogue and deepen economic cooperation, as well as to diversify trade between the two regions.