TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo attended the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Dialogue with Economic Leaders, which was held virtually on Thursday, November 11. In his address, Jokowi highlighted two things, namely the empowerment of MSMEs and the issue of climate change.

Widodo said that MSME development would not only create a safety net for low-income people, but also absorb a very large workforce.

"In 2019, MSMEs contributed to 52 percent of Asia Pacific's GDP and succeeded in absorbing 50 percent of the workforce. In Indonesia, 64 percent of MSME actors are women. This means that empowering MSMEs in Indonesia also empowers women," said the President.

The President also emphasized that financial inclusivity is a priority. In 2021, Indonesia has provided soft loans and financial assistance worth more than US$4 billion (Rp57 trillion) for 17.8 million MSMEs and individual small businesses affected by the pandemic.

Indonesia also continues to support MSME's digital transformation during the pandemic. A total of 8.4 million MSMEs in Indonesia have entered the digital ecosystem, including 54 percent of MSME actors who are women.

The president said another focus is to put climate change mitigation efforts within the framework of sustainable development. Jokowi said that climate change mitigation must be carried out in a balance with social and economic development, in order to meet sustainable development targets.

"Conserving forests and marine resources, as well as transforming towards new and renewable energy sources must improve the welfare of the lower classes. This transition to a low-carbon economy must be carried out in a fair and collaborative manner," President Jokowi said.

Read: APEC Summit; Jokowi Calls on Global Cooperation to Tackle Covid-19

Suci Sekarwati