Welcoming Tony Blair, Ministry of Communication and Information Discusses Digital Transformation Collaboration

Jakarta, INTI - Minister of Communication and Information, Budi Arie Setiadi, discussed the acceleration of national digital transformation with Tony Blair. According to him, the support and collaboration from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) assist the Government in accelerating digital transformation and developing digital-based public services.

"We discussed the acceleration of digital transformation in Indonesia. The discussion included talks about data centers, connectivity regarding the utilization of the latest technology, digital ID, as well as concerns about generative AI, which currently has quantum leaps with unforeseen risks," he explained to the media after the meeting at the Ministry of Communication and Information office in Central Jakarta, Friday (19/04/2024).

The Ministry of Communication and Information hopes that collaboration with TBI will continue in implementing the Electronic-Based Government System (SPBE) and the Ministry of Communication and Information's tasks.

"We acknowledge TBI's support for several Kominfo agendas. And we hope that future collaborations will proceed more smoothly and in line with existing internal policies," he stated.

Leadership and Digital Identity

Deputy Minister of Communication and Information, Nezar Patria, explained discussions regarding the acceleration of national digital transformation specifically related to the implementation of SPBE, which is the responsibility of the Ministry of Communication and Information.

"SPBE tasks have been divided among ministries and institutions. Kominfo is responsible for the interoperability of servers in ministries and institutions, both at the regional and central government levels. Then, unifying 27,400 applications scattered across each agency. Also discussed is the supporting infrastructure for data centers," he explained.

Deputy Minister Nezar Patria stated that the meeting was filled with discussions about the importance of digital leadership in achieving comprehensive digital transformation. Drawing on the UK's experience, he believes that it is necessary to have an authority that leads or orchestrates the digital transformation process.

"Earlier, with Tony Blair and his team, we discussed the country's experience to establish some form of digital leadership. If one authority is given such a mandate or authority, it will be even more perfect," he said.

Regarding digital identity, the Ministry of Communication and Information stated that it is an important discussion as part of the digitization of government services.

"Digital identity is also important and needs to be considered. Because this plays a crucial role in the digitization of a country," he concluded.

In the meeting, Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie Setiadi and Deputy Minister Nezar Patria were accompanied by the Director-General of Informatics Applications, Semuel A. Pangerapan.