Statement by Delegation of the Republic of Indonesia at the Sixty-Sixth Session of the Trade and Development Board

June 10, 2019 Economy, Development and Environment

Item 3 – General Debate, Wednesday, 26 June 2019

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Mr. President, H.E. Ambassador Michael Gaffey,

Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD, Mdm. Isabelle Durant,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Indonesia wishes to join others in congratulating you, H.E. Ambassador Michael Gaffey in chairing the 66th TDB Session.

2. We would also like to thank the outgoing TDB Chair, H.E. Ambassador Salim Badoura, and his fellow bureau members for their excellent work during the previous session.

Mr. President,

3. Indonesia attaches great importance to the issue of inequality. This is done by ensuring that equality is at the core of our national development program, which is reflected in Indonesia’s National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2015-2019. Indonesia views trade as an engine of growth and development that has significant impact on real economy and contributes towards efforts in reducing inequality.

4, To ensure that the benefit of digitalisation is equally distributed, Indonesia echoes the request made by the G-77 and China for UNCTAD to provide analytical support and policy recommendations that can help developing and least-developed countries to address their needs and shortcomings.

5. Indonesia also remains committed to advancing the South-South Cooperation agenda which becomes increasingly relevant to reduce inequality and promote development. The successful organization of BAPA+40 in Buenos Aires is evident that this commitment is shared across nations. To date, as mentioned yesterday in the agenda item of South-South Cooperation, Indonesia has conducted more than 500 programs in the last two decades with 6000 of participants from developing countries.

Mr. President,

6. UNCTAD has a mandate to assist developing and least-developed countries in pursuing their trade and development needs through technical assistance, analysis, as well as consensus-building tools. In this regard, Indonesia has greatly benefited from UNCTAD’s assistance, to name a few:

  • Indonesia, together with ASEAN countries, especially the Philippines and Singapore currently participate in several of UNCTAD’s capacity building program on e-commerce;
  • Indonesia is also in the process of having its consumer protection law and policy reviewed under the Voluntary Peer Review mechanism; and lastly
  • With the full support of UNCTAD’s Creative Economy Programme under the Division of International Trade and Committee, and other UN bodies, Indonesia has organized the first World Conference on Creative Economy in November 2018. This conference is a milestone in our global efforts to mainstream the issue of creative economy which is inclusive in nature and closely linked to the SDGs. Indonesia is also planning to introduce a draft UN resolution on creative economy in order to raise awareness on its importance, as well as in the preparatory process with the Government of United Arab Emirates for the second World Conference on Creative Economy in Dubai in 2020.

7. With regards to the preparation of the 15th session of the Conference in 2020, Indonesia congratulates Barbados as a host of the 15th Session of the Conference and the UEA as a host of the World Investment Forum and E-Commerce Week in 2020. Indonesia stands ready to support and wishes all the very best for the preparation of this prestigious and important conference. We look forward to a robust preparatory process and a concrete outcome of the Conference.

I thank you.



Geneva, 26 June 2019