Indonesia’s 2022 G20 presidency has taken “Recover Together, Recover Stronger” as its central theme. Members of the intergovernmental forum will work together within a collaborative and inclusive framework to focus on three main issues: global health architecture, the digital transformation of the global economy and energy transition.
The three priority issues will make up the flagship agenda of the Working Groups (WG) and Engagement Groups (EG) of the Sherpa Track. There will be eleven WGs, one Initiative and 10 EGs employing joint efforts between governmental and nongovernmental groups to reflect the G20 forum’s representative nature.
“We hope that Indonesia’s G20 presidency is not limited to what’s written on paper. It has to be concrete, inclusive and contributive not just to Indonesia, but also the rest of the world,” said Deputy Minister for the Coordination of International Economic Cooperation Edi Prio Pambudi, who was appointed Indonesia’s G20 Co-Sherpa along with Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, Special Advisor to the Foreign Affairs Minister on Priority Issues and Programs.
To facilitate the three priority issues, Indonesia has established a joint task force consisting of the Health Ministry and Finance Ministry as mandated by the 2021 G20 Rome summit. The joint task force is expected to work to ensure post-pandemic recovery and maintain alertness for possible future pandemics with extensive global coordination.
Indonesia’s G20 organizers are also expecting to hold the first meeting of the Digital Economy Working Group, which has evolved from its previous formation as a task force.
To facilitate the events in the G20 program, especially in the Sherpa Track, Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartanto, who is serving as the First Head of the Sherpa Track, authorized Ministerial Decree No. 27/2022 on the membership structure and agenda matrix for the G20 Sherpa Track WG in Indonesia’s 2022 G20 presidency.
The ministerial decree arranges the membership structure of the Sherpa Track, including the chair, co-chair and alternate chairs of each WG and EG. The agenda matrix also organizes meeting schedules and priority agenda items for each WG and EG.
“Every event within the Sherpa Track is based on regulations established within the Ministerial Decree. Therefore, we now have preliminary information that provides clarity and certainty for organizing each activity,” the coordinating minister said.
The Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister will work with the Foreign Ministry to hold conferences on non-economic issues as well. These will include energy, development, tourism, the digital economy, education, labor, agriculture, trade, investment, industry, health, anticorruption efforts, sustainability and climate change, among other issues.
Accordingly, the Sherpa Tracks for Indonesia’s G20 presidency consist of eleven WGs: Anticorruption, Agriculture, Environment and Climate Sustainability, Development, Digital Economy, Energy Transitions, Education, Employment, Health, Tourism, Trade and Industry, as well as Investment. In addition, there is one Initiative, called EMPOWER, and there are 10 EGs: Parliament 20, Supreme Audit Institution 20, Business 20, Civil 20, Urban 20, Women 20, Think 20, Science 20, Labor 20 and Youth 20.
Regarding preparations, the Secretary of the Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister, Susiwijono Moegiarso, who is the Head of the Sherpa Track and Finance Track Secretariat, said there would be 441 events across 25 towns and regencies.
“There will be 184 main events consisting of 1 summit, 20 ministers’ and central bank governors’ meetings, 17 sherpa/deputy meetings, 56 Working Group meetings and 90 Engagement Group meetings. We will also be having some 257 side events and ‘Road to G20 Indonesia Events’.” Susiwijono added.
Summit organizers have ensured that the G20 meetings and related events will involve strict health protocols and employ the health bubble system, which was a defining features of the first sherpa meeting. COVID-19 Task Force Circular Letter No. 6/2022 on health protocols for the bubble system for the G20 meetings in Indonesia has comprehensive regulations for every G20 event under Indonesia’s presidency.
“We will be carrying out every meeting within the schedule of the Indonesian G20 presidency with the implementation of strict health protocols using the bubble system, as we’ve stipulated in the circular letter,” said Susiwijono in a press release.
During its G20 presidency, Indonesia will be focusing its efforts on coordinating global policies for a balanced world order, creating a G20 that is more adaptable to crises and advocating for national interests in global forums.