The Central Leadership Council of the Association of Indonesian Islamic Economic Experts (DPP IAEI) launched the IAEI Strategic Internal Workshop (SINERGI) program with the theme "Getting to know more about the G20 Presidency and its relevance to Sharia Economics in Indonesia," on Monday (10/01) virtually via the Zoom platform . The event was opened by IAEI Secretary General Astera Primanto Bhakti. Wempi Saputra Deputy Secretary General II IAEI who is also the G20 Deputy Finance was the speaker and Ronald Rulindo led the discussion as moderator.
SINERGI activities are a forum for disseminating information and discussions by Islamic economic experts who are members of the IAEI organization to discuss strategic issues at the national and global level within the framework of Islamic Economic analysis. This event was deliberately held limited to IAEI internally so that it could be more focused and in-depth. It is hoped that the output of this activity can enrich the Islamic Economics discourse on national and global strategic issues and increasingly make Islamic economics in Indonesia relevant in responding to the challenges of the modern world, one of which is the 2022 Indonesian G20 Presidency.
The G20 is often referred to as the global economic steering committee because it is a forum that really determines the direction of world socio-economic policy. This forum represents 11 developed countries and 9 developing countries, including Indonesia, which controls around 80% of global GDP. The real role of the G20 can be seen in handling global crises such as the 1998 Asian Economic Crisis, the 2008-2009 Global Economic Crisis, and most recently the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis.
As the G20 Presidency, Indonesia is determined to overcome global challenges that will still emerge and find the best solutions, ensuring that all countries can recover together and encourage policy reforms that support stronger, sustainable, balanced and inclusive economic growth after the pandemic. Therefore, Indonesia's G20 Presidency carries the theme: "Recover Together, Recover Stronger"
Wempi Saputra conveyed 3 main messages regarding the relevance of Indonesia's G20 Presidency to the Islamic Economy. First, Indonesia's leadership in the Global forum as president of the G20 must be optimized to encourage concrete policies that, although not labeled Sharia, contain inclusive Islamic Economic values.
Second, Indonesia must also take advantage of this chairmanship to increase the knowledge and capacity of MSME activists as the engine driving the national halal industry. Understanding global economic developments is very important to make MSMEs more competitive and adaptive.
Third, Indonesia can explicitly optimize G20 side events to demonstrate (showcasing) how policies that convey Islamic Economic values play a role in more inclusive national and global economic development.
What Wempi Saputra said was in line with the direction of IAEI General Chair Sri Mulyani Indrawati as conveyed by Astera Primanto Bhakti.
"As directed by Mrs. General Chairperson Sri Mulyani Indrawati at the 2021 IAEI Working Meeting, one of the big challenges that IAEI administrators and members must be able to answer is how to encourage the development of a more inclusive Islamic Economy through the application of Islamic Economic values in the Indonesian economy, not just a name and labeling Sharia or halal only."
