Economic Digitalization Through Infrastructure

Economic Digitalization Through Infrastructure

The Global Infrastructure Investment Forum (GIIF) 2021 was held on 28 – 29 July 2021, is a forum for Indonesian infrastructure players to discuss the latest development in the industry, expand and knowledge exchange, discover solutions and breakthroughs to the infrastructure challenges, also to strengthen the professional network among stakeholders.

The GIIF 2021 was offcially opened by National Development Planning Ministry’s Deputy in Charge of Infrastructure and Facilities, Josaphat Rizal Primana and President Commissioner of On Us Asia, Sri Rahayu.

Josaphat Rizal Primana stated in his opening speech that infrastructure development was aimed to support the national transformation strategy, which is also part of the government’s commitment to creating a new paradigm. “The new paradigm in infrastructure includes compliance with the principles of green economy and adoption of economic digitization,” said Josaphat Rizal Primana who represented National Development Planning Minister Suharso Monoarfa during the opening ceremony.

As Covid-19 happened in Indonesia and all around the globe, it encourages the acceleration of economic digitization and allows continuing to push the development of the digital transformation. The application of economic digitization is considered one factor to drive poverty and economic equality.

The process of digital transformation will not occur if the condition of the infrastructure is not adequate. This was emphasized by Sri Mulyani (Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia), this potential will not be able to become something real and concrete if it is not accompanied with the construction of the infrastructure of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) that can reach all areas of Indonesia.

“The necessary condition is whether we will have an infrastructure that allows all Indonesians wherever they are, there is no ‘other area’ term, marginalized, left behind in this case, also internet accessibility. That’s why we need to build infrastructure,” the Minister explained during her speech in one of the recent virtual events.

Pandemic Covid-19 shows that digital infrastructure function and availability become very crucial. Also, a massive digitization development in Indonesia must be accompanied by the availability of adequate national infrastructure.

In the midst of global economic uncertainty and the risks faced due to Covid-19, giving away golden opportunities to be explored to accelerate the recovery of the national economy through the development of the digital infrastructure so that the necessary synergy of all parties in carrying out the digitization of the economy of Indonesia.