President Reminds TNI-Polri about the Impact of Pandemics on Geopolitical Situations
Detiktoday.com – The world is currently facing a very difficult time where health problems go hand in hand with economic problems. At least 215 countries, including Indonesia, experienced a contraction in economic growth this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
When briefing participants in the Joint Fiscal Activities Program (PKB Juang) for the 2020 Budget Year through a video conference from the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Tuesday, July 28, 2020, President Joko Widodo reminded about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on global economic growth. According to the President, a number of international institutions predict the current situation of global economic growth is still very dynamic.
Four months ago, said the President, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva stated that global economic growth would be at minus 2.5 percent. A month after that, the World Bank said that the global economy would grow at minus 5 percent. Three weeks ago, it was the OECD’s turn to say that the global economy would contract at minus 6 to 7.6 percent.
“I do not know whether this will move even worse because the situation is very dynamic. Likewise the prediction of economic growth for countries will also change,” President Jokowi said.
In addition, the IMF also predicted that Indonesia’s economic growth would be in the top 3 after China and India. The Chinese economy is predicted to grow 1.5 percent, followed by India which is predicted to grow 1.2 percent, then Indonesia in the position of 0.5 percent.
“But with these changes that are getting worse, we also have not got the latest figures on how our country’s position in economic growth will be in 2020,” the President said.
The prediction of Indonesia’s economic condition is still far better than some other countries. The President detailed, France is estimated to be minus 17.2 percent, Britain is expected to be minus 15.4 percent, Germany is expected to be minus 11.2 percent, and America is expected to be minus 9.7 percent. According to the Head of State, this will impact on the global geopolitical situation.
“What do I want to convey with the existing conditions? Be careful this has impacted global geopolitics. This must all be known, the South China Sea is starting to heat up, China-America is increasingly heating up,” the President said.
“Therefore, we must take momentum, take advantage of the current pandemic. Of course we will continue to struggle to resolve the Covid-19 problem and also the economic problems that occur in our country. But we must take this momentum,” the President said .
To note, the PKB Perjuangan seminar was attended by officers of TNI students and Polri students who came from the TNI Staff and Command School (Sesko), the Staff and High Leadership School (Sespimti) of the National Police, the Staff School and Army Command (Seskoad), the Staff School and the Naval Command (Seskoal), the Air Force Staff and Command School (Seskoau), and the National Police Staff and Leaders School (Sespimmen).
