"I call 2024 a year that must be full of optimism. Why? We have the capital to be optimistic, both economic and political," he said at the "2024 Indonesian Economic Outlook" event hosted by the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs in Jakarta on Friday (22/12).
President Joko Widodo further said that throughout 2023 the Indonesian economy will grow at around 5 percent, much higher than the global average which only grows at 2.9 percent. The inflation indicator can also be maintained at 2.86 percent, much lower than the global average inflation of 7.2 percent. The president also mentioned the rapid increase in labor absorption, as well as trade which experienced a surplus for 43 consecutive months.
However, the President also reminded all parties to be alert, because there is still a lot of global uncertainty. He pointed out the conflicts in the Middle East which could trigger price increases.
"A Javanese said, 'tetep eling' (stay alerted)... (we) must always remember, be careful and alert. It is not easy to captain the big ship of our country, Indonesia, in global economic uncertainty," he said.
Even though he wants the economy to grow better, President Joko Widodo said Indonesia still has to be careful and calculate every policy or step it will take.
In this case, he highlighted the issue of 96 countries that have become "patients" of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and dozens of other countries whose economic, financial, and fiscal conditions are very difficult. (VOI/Setiorini, Antara)
