Jokowi Asks World Bank to Give Outlook on Indonesian Economy

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has called on the World Bank to give its outlook on the Indonesian economy amid the fast dynamic developments in the global economy.

"We have urged them to explain what the Indonesian economic outlook will look like and what its shortcomings are," he remarked following a meeting with World Bank executives at the Bogor Presidential Palace on Tuesday.

The World Bank executives included World Bank Indonesia Country Director Rodrigo Chaves; Lead Economist Frederico Gil Sander; Program Leader for Sustainable Development Taimur Samad; Program Leader for Human Development Camilla Holmemo; Program Leader for Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions Yongmei Zhou; and Operations Officer Steisianasari Mileiva.

Meanwhile, President Jokowi was accompanied by Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut B. Pandjaitan, and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani.

The president also sought the World Bank's suggestions on ways to improve the various economic policies applied by the Indonesian government.

"Where will we begin the improvement? I think that such inputs from any other institution are important for us to overcome the shortcomings," he noted.

This is also a follow-up to the meeting between World Bank President Jim Yong Kim and President Jokowi at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on July 26, 2017.

The meeting, held on July 26, discussed preparations for the upcoming annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund-the World Bank in the Indonesian resort island of Bali next year, among others.

ANTARA