Indonesia’s Narrowing Path to Prosperity
INDONESIA STUDIES PROGRAMME WEBINAR
About the Webinar
Indonesia has enjoyed a demographic dividend over the last three decades. Between 2009–2019, the country created an average of 2.4 million new jobs each year. At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the employment rate reached a record high of 67.5% of the labour force, and unemployment fell to its lowest level in two decades, at 5.2%. Despite these positive signs, Indonesia has struggled to create good quality jobs needed to escape the middle-income trap.
In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic has abruptly reversed the country’s gains over two decades in providing employment and reducing poverty. There is a danger that Indonesia could see narrowing paths to prosperity if it does not reset and rethink its development strategy to regain its growth momentum. There is a window opportunity to accelerate economic growth and reduce poverty, provided that more jobs and good jobs are created for Indonesia’s surplus labour, which is expected to grow by an estimated 20 million workers over the next ten years.
This webinar is based on ongoing collaborative research sponsored by the Rajawali Foundation to provide insights into Indonesia’s efforts to recover from the pandemic, overcome its structural constraints, and create more quality jobs after the pandemic. It will also highlight some policy options to promote investment and develop the manufacturing sector which could accelerate future jobs creation.
About the Speaker
Gustav F. Papanek is President of the Boston Institute for Developing Economies (BIDE) and Professor of Economics Emeritus at Boston University. In over 45 years of work on the economics of development, he has directed ten major policy advisory and research teams, most focusing on aspects of development strategy. He has written or edited 8 books, 48 articles, and 52 other publications.
For the last three decades, he has been considered one of the most eminent development economists, as exemplified by his leadership of the Harvard University Development Advisory Service (now the HIID); the Boston University Economics Department; BIDE; and several AID, World Bank, and Harvard University advisory and research teams. He has provided economic advice to prime ministers, presidents, ministers, central bank governors and senior officials in various countries, including Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Registration
This webinar will be delivered online entirely. You can join the webinar at the specified date and time using devices (computer, phone, or tablet) with internet connection.
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